3015 


IRLF 


SB    17 


DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION— THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK 
DIVISION  OF  REFERENCE  AND  RESEARCH 


Th. 


School    Assembly 


Tke   Sckool  Assembly 

A  Handbook  for  Auditorium  Exercises 

by 

EUGENE  A.  NIFENECKER, 
Assistant  Director  of  Reference  and  Research. 


WILLIAM  G.  WILLCOX, 
President,  Board  of  Education. 


1917 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

I.     INTRODUCTION    3 

II.     AIMS    AND    VALUES - .~ _ _  5 

1.  Inspirational    functions „ 6 

2.  Recreative    functions 7 

3.  Interpretive    functions _  9 

4.  Instructional    functions _ 9 

III.     MEANS   AND   METHODS 1 1 

1.  Visual    instruction 11 

a.  Stereoptican  and  lantern  slides 12 

b.  Motion  picture   films „.„ 23 

c.  Methods   of   using  material 26 

2.  Lectures    _ ~ __.„__«_._„-. - _.«_...„.. ....•-— -„-,—-.. ,. ........  29 

a.  By  teachers  in  charge  of  auditorium  activities 30 

b.  By  teachers  from  other  departments 30 

c.  By    pupils -,..,... ^..,......i....n..-i.Mi.....i.......i...........ii..u..i,i---...i.,--  30 

d.  By   outsiders 31 

e.  The    quiz 32 

Music 3 2 

a.  Aims    and    values 32 

b.  Means  and  methods 33 

(1)  Participation 33 

(a)  Choral   singing 33 

(b)  Instrumental   music 34 

(2)  Appreciation    34 

(a)  Use   of  phonograph,    etc 36 

(b)  Recitals 36 

c.  References    _ 37 

4.  Bible    reading 37 

a.     List  of  selections 37 

5.  Declamations — recitations — oral  readings,   etc 39 

/       a.    Aims    and   values 39 

/        b.    Material „ _. 40 

c.     Bibliography   „ 40 

eV~Story    telling 42 

a.  Aims    and    values 42 

b.  Selection   of  material 44 

c.  Suggestions   as  to   method 45 

d.  Bibliography  A. 4 6 

7.  /  Dramatization — plays,    festivals,    etc 49 

a.  Dram ati zation    _'. 4 9 

(1)  Aims  and  values 49 

(2)  Choice  of  subject  matter...... „ „  50 

Festivals - „  54 

(1)  Aims  and  values - !. 55 

(2)  Choice   of  subjects 56 

The    pageant „ 57 

C 1 )     Values    57 

Bibliography  _ „  57 

Physical    training „.. 62 

i.     Folk-dances    _ 63 

(1)     Values  63 

V—     (2)     Bibliography   J _-__ '......'.. 64 

b.  Mimetics 64 

en      Debates  and  contests 65 

a.     Debates   ~ _  65 

(1)     Aims  and  values „  65 

(  2 )     Bibliography   _ _ 66 

b.     Contests 6  6 

10.     Miscellaneous _  68 

a.  Forum    ...  _ _ „ „ ~  6  8 

b.  Question    box.™ _ „ 68 


~ » / 


PAGE 

IV.     ORGANIZATION  OF  SUBJECT  MATTER— TYPES  OF  EXERCISES  69 

1.  Introduction — The    problem _ 69 

2.  Life  of  the  school  as  a  social  community 70 

a.  Significant  days  in  the  life  of  the   school 71 

( 1 )  Opening    day 71 

(2)  Graduation   day,   class   day 71 

(3)  Meetings  of   school   city „ 71 

( 4 )  Field    day _ 71 

b.  Special   school   activities — ., _ 71 

(1)     The  school  bank 71 

( 2  )     The  school    paper.™ „„ _ „ _.  7  3 

( 3 )  School    athletics J ! "..'.......  73 

(4)  The   School  Audubon   Society _ ......._„ _.  73 

c.  School    entertainments „  73 

d.  Special    group    activities „ „.  73 

( 1 )     Orchestra    74 

( 2  )     Glee    club „ „ ~ -  74 

(3)  Literary  and   debating  societies 74 

( 4 )  Science  clubs _ _  74 

(5)  Arts  and  crafts ., 74 

(6)  Work  of  various  classes _...._ 74 

3.  Community  life  outside  the  school _ _ 75 

a.  Industries   and   occupations — 75 

(1)  How  we  get  our  food „._ ' 

(2)  How  we  are  sheltered 76 

(3)  How  we  are  clothed _ —  76 

(4)  New  York's  industries  arid   occupations... _  76 

(a)  Chief  industries _ -  76 

(b)  Chief   occupations _ „  77 

(c)  Additional   topics 77 

(  d )     Labor  Day 77 

b.  Institutional  and  civic  life 77 

( 1 )  Public  Service - - 78 

(2)  City   government 79 

( 3 )  Public    institutions 80 

c.  History  of  New  York  City - ...... 8C 

4.  The  World  of  Nature... 81 

Suggested  topics. — 82 

5.  The  World  of  Art,  Literature  and  Music 83" 

Suggested  topics „ -  83 

6.  The  Life  of  the  Nation - - -  86 

a.  Historical   .11...'...'. 87 

b.  Industrial 89 

c.  National    government £4 

V.     ADMINISTRATIVE    PHASES.... 95 

VI.     APPENDICES    „ 99 

1.  Directions   for  borrowing  slides   from   the   University  of  The 

State  of  New  York __. 101 

2.  How  to  borrow  slides  from  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 

History _ ; 102 

3.  How  to  borrow  slides  from  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art —  103 

4.  List  of  manufacturers  having  motion  picture  films  of  educa- 

tional value „ - „ _  103 

5.  Typical  list  of  outsiders  who  have  spoken  at  Public  School  42, 

The  Bronx „ 105 

6.  Calendar    of   special    days    and    anniversaries   customarily   or 

occasionally  observed „ 105 

7.  Program — sequence   of   assembly  exercises,   Public    School   64, 

Manhattan  ....  ....  10? 


I.    INTRODUCTION     . 

X1  \ 

/     The  School  Assembly  has  always  formed  a  part  of  the  activities   j 

(  of  the  school.  Its  educational  value  has  long  been  recognized./ 
'Prior  to  a  very  recent  date,  however,  the  time  schedule  in  the 
New  York  schools  allotted  but  fifteen  minutes  a  day  for  opening 
exercises.  Under  the  various  forms  of  the  duplicate  plan  of 
school  organization  the  assembly  period  is  becoming,  in  many 
schools,  a  more  prominent  feature  than  ever  before.  With  the 
increased  time  allotment  provided,  a  greater  opportunity  is 
afforded  for  realizing  all  the  possibilities  which  the  assembly 
may  possess. 

The  increased  emphasis  upon  this  activity  brings  with  it  prob- 
lems of  organization  and  administration  many  of  which  must  be 
.  determined  on  the  basis  of  actual  experience.  One  problem  that 
has  always  been  present  is  the  question  of  the  selection  and  the 
organization  of  subject  matter.A  As  an  aid  in  the  solution  of  this 
problem  this  bulletin  of  information  on  materials  and  activities 
suitable  for  assembly  presentation  is  issued.  While  much  of  it  is 
suggestive  only,  many  of  the  activities  discussed  have  been  more 
or  less  tried  out  in  assembly  exercises  in  the  past  in  this  city 
and  elsewhere. 

The  experience  of  successful  assembly  managers  will 
perhaps  develop  material  for  a  more  serviceable  book.  A 
second  edition,  enriched  by  actual  programs,  found  especially 
successful,  is  contemplated  as  a  composite  compiled  by  teachers 
actually  engaged  in  the  service.  To  that  end  principals  are 
requested  to  keep  in  durable  form  the  notes  and  plans  of  assembly 
exercises  in  order  that  the  successes  of  the  various  schools  may 
be  capitalized  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  city. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  first  issue,  valuable  assistance  has 
been  given  by  principals  and  teachers  in  various  schools,  par- 
ticularly by  Mr.  ANGELO  PATRI,  principal,  and  Mr.  WILLIAM 
JANSEN,  teacher,  of  Public  School  45,  The  Bronx,  by  Mr. 
WILLIAM  E.  GRADY,  principal  of  Public  School  64,  Manhattan, 
by  Mr.  EUGENE  B.  GARTLAN,  principal  of  Public  School  42,  The 
Bronx,  and  by  Mr.  LEWIS  C.  KING,  teacher,  Public  School  53, 


The  Bronx.  Acknowledgement  must  also  be  made  of  the  assistance 
received  from  Miss  MINNIE:  KEIL,  Secretary  of  this  Division, 
who  compiled  some  of  the  bibliographies,  and  from  Superin- 
tendent McANDREw,  in  charge  of  duplicate  schools,  who  kindly 
read  the  manuscript  and  made  many  suggestions  which  have 
been  incorporated. 


II.    AIMS  AND  VALUES 

The  functions  of  any  school  activity  may  be  training,  instruc- 
tional, inspirational,  disciplinary,  recreative  or  interpretive.  The 
training  function  results  in  the  acquisition  of  specific  habits,  the 
instructional  in  the  acquisition  of  facts,  principles  and  ideas,  in 
knowledge.  The  inspirational  function  aims  to  instil  ideals  or 
emotionalized  standards.  From  the  disciplinary  function  certain 
ideals  of  method  or  procedure  result.  The  recreative  function 
will  yield  tastes,  sentiments  and  interests,  and  the  interpretive 
will  give  attitudes,  insights  or  perspectives.  A  particular  school 
activity  may  have  any  or  most  of  these  functions  at  various 
times.  Thus  the  assembly  exercises  may  aim  on  one  occasion 
at  .instruction,  on  another  at  inspiration,  or  at  discipline,  or  at 
interpretation,  and  the  like.  Whatever  it  may  be,  the  aim  of  the 
assembly  should  be  kept  clearly  in  mind  and  should  serve  as  the 
basis  for  the  selection  of  material  or  activity. 

Superintendent  McANDREw  makes  the  following  comment  on 
this  point:  % 

• 
"Purposes  must  be  planned 

"The  deadly  effect  of  following  a  mere  program  of  studies  has 
stultified  too  many  children  under  teachers  who  are  weak  in 
conceiving  purposes.  The  new  opportunities  of  extended 
assembly  exercises  will  be  largely  lost  if  the  managers  concentrate 
too  much  upon  what  is  done  and  not  sufficiently  upon  what  it  is 
done  for.  Plan  something  more  than  merely  to  occupy  the  time. 
Consider  what  the  exercise  is  for.  If  the  matter  planned  for  the 
period  is  not  securing  the  results  aimed  at,  change  it. 

"For  this  occasion  the  possible  variety  of  ends  to  be  secured  is 
fascinating  in  its  abundance.  You  can  instruct,  amuse,  discipline, 
inspire  and  train.  The  opportunities  of  spirited  refreshment  are 
equalled  by  the  dangers  of  an  intensified  boredom./  While,  with 
a  class  of  forty  a  strong-willed  teacher  can  suppress,  the  signs 
of  listnessness  evoked  by  a  dull  lesson,  in  a  company  of  four- 
hundred  the  contagion  of  tedium  produces  an  effect  not  less 
than  dire.  ")  Interest,  not  duty,  not  forced  attention,  not  polite 


6  Aims  and  Values 

resignation  to  wearisome  didactics,  must  be  the  spirit  of  the 
period.  Otherwise  it  would  be  better  to  let  the  children  sleep  or 
chatter  through  the  hour.  Know  what  the  effect  is  you  are 
going  to  produce  by  each  particular  assembly." 

1.    INSPIRATIONAL  FUNCTIONS 

The  inspirational  function  aims  to  instil  ideals.  While  many 
school  activities  may  function  in  this  way,  the  assembly  exercises 
are  peculiarly  effective. 

The  chief  influence  of  the  inspirational  function  lies  in  its 
socializing  value.  The  school  assembly  emphasizes  the  social 
aspect.  It  recognizes  the  fact  that  the  school  is  a  social  group 
having  a  corporate  existence  of  its  own.  It  affords  a  most 
effective  means  by  which  such  corporate  life  may  find  expression. 
The  exercises  in  the  assembly  are  largely  group  activities.  They 
emphasize  the  idea  of  co-operation,  of  team  work,  of  contribution 
/to  and  participation  in  the  work  of  the  whole  group. 

"The   chief   use    of    the    assembly,"    according    to    one    educational 
writer,  "is  to  develop  within  the  children  a  sense  of  social  solidarity. 
I     The  children  act  together,  sing  together  and  move  as  a  body.  Addresses, 
1     words  pi  advice,  etc.,  hold  equally  for  all.    The  school  comes  to  have  a 
meaning  as  a  whole  rather  than  as  a  collection  of  classes.     Morality 
as  applying  to  the  larger  whole  is  emphasized.     The  assembly,  more- 
over,   forms   an   excellent  social   background   of   response    for   special 
actions  or  work  worthy  of  public  commendation."* 

"The  school  assembly  is  a  valuable  aid  in  fixing  ideals  and  particu- 
larly this  one  of  esprit  de  corps.  A  few  words  in  the  assembly  room 
may  strike  home  with  telling  effect.  The  sentiment  of  the  mass 
sweeps  the  individual  before  it."** 

"The  assembly  is  an  opportunity,  to  be  used  by  conscious  plan- 
ning and  purpose,  to  foster  the  social  virtues,  to  engender  esprit 
de  corps,  ideals  of  integrity,  loyalty,  friendship,  respect  for  the 
feeling  and  rights  of  others,  sympathy  with  suffering  and  afflic- 
tion, generosity,  unselfishness,  helpfulness,  cheerfulness,  love  of 
work,  courtesy,  chivalry,  heroism,  courage,  love  of  truth,  reli- 
ability, love  of  right,  refinement  of  thought  and  heart,  and  the 
^  other  ideals  which  are  touched  upon  if  at  all  only  incidentally 
in  courses  of  study.  The  inspirational  possibilities  of  the 
assembly  exercises  are  extraordinary." 


*  Felix  Arnold,    "School   and   Class   Management." 
**  A.  C.  Perry,  "Management  of  a  City  School." 


Inspirational  and  Recreative  Functions  7 

"If  you  are  going,  in  a  particular  program,  to  arouse  a  feeling 
for  ideals,  the  exercise  must  be  planned  to  play  upon  the  right 
emotions.  The  best  music  must  open  the  period.  The  speaker 
cannot  be  self  conscious,  timid  or  hesitating.  She  must  realize 
that  an  ideal  is  "the  mental  force  that  controls  conduct  in  virtue 
of  its  emotional  warmth  rather  than  through  its  intellectual 
clearness  or  its  accuracy."  We  have  relied  too  much  upon  the 
principal  or  upon  eminent  citizens  to  furnish  inspirational  ad 
dresses  to  assemblies.  Earnest  and  winsome  pupils  have  this 
ability.  The  school  should  train  them  in  the  exercise  of  this 
power.  The  leader  must  show  enthusiasm.  It  is  not  enough  to 
talk  loudly  or  to  talk  slowly.  A  deep  sincerity,  a  human  sym- 
pathy, a  native  earnestness,  a  heartfelt  enthusiem — these  are  the 
essentials  of  a  leader  of  an  assembly  exercise  designated  to 
create  ideals.  The  presence  of  large  numbers  is  an  aid  to  the 
success  of  such  a  purpose.  They  give  it  the  necessary  socializing 
force.  Patriotism,  public  service,  duty,  school  spirit,  effort,  ex- 
cellence, fairness,  honor,  however  much  they  may  be  developed 
by  personal  appeal  to  an  individual  boy,  do  grow  in  multitudes 
under  the  influence  of  earnest  speakers.  The  ancients  had  the 
agora  and  forum.  We  moderns  have  the  church  and  meeting 
hall." 

"The  natural  instinct  of  teachers  is  always  toward  the  deeper 
and  better  things  of  life.  They  often  feel  hampered  from  ex- 
pressing it  because  of  the  excessive  formal  demands  of  the 
curriculum.  The  assembly  offers  an  avenue  for  this  expression. 
The  observant  principal  learns  who  the  teachers  apt  for  this 
kind  of  service  are.  Through  their  aid  and  that  of  likely  pupils, 
through  poetry,  music,  dramatization,  literature,  stories,  recita- 
tions, pictures,  and  the  appeal  of  the  living  voice,  by  judicious 
selection  of  assembly  days,  he  uses  these  mass  meetings  to  create 
an  influence  tonic  to  the  whole  school  atmosphere."* 

2.    RECREATIVE  FUNCTIONS 

These  functions  aim  to  give  the  child  "tastes  and  prejudices." 
Through  such  functions  the  individual  "is  led  to  seek  pleasure 
and  relaxation  upon  a  plane  higher  than  he  would  attain  without 
the  aid  of  the  educative  process." 

*  Superintendent  MCANDREW. 


8  Aims  and  Values 

This  factor  in  education  has  hitherto  failed  to  receive  adequate 
recognition.  The  necessityijQl  .educating  the  individual  not  only 
for  his  working  hours  but  also  for  his  leisure  time  is  now 
appreciated.  Of  this  necessity  Professor  DEWSY  writes : 

"I  sometimes  think  that  recreation  Js  the  most  overlooked  and 
neglected  of  all  ethical  forces.  Our  whole  Puritan  tradition  tends  to 
make  us  slight  this  side  of  life,  or  even  condemn  it.  But  the  demand 
for  recreation,  for  enjoyment,  is  one  of  the  strongest  and  most 
fundamental  things  in  human  nature.  To  pass  it  over  is  to  invite  it 
to  find  expression  in  defective  and  perverted  form.  .  .  I  believe  that 
there  is  no  force  more  likely  to  count  in  the  general  reform  of  social 
conditions  than  the  practical  recognition  that  in  recreation  there  is  a 
positive  moral  influence  which  it  is  the  duty  of  the  community  to 
take  hold  of  and  direct."* 

PERCIVAL  CHUBB  in  the  introduction  to  his  suggestive  volume  on 
School  Festivals  and  Plays  also  points  out  the  necessity  for 
emphasizing  the  "recreational  functions"  of  education.  "Present 
day  education,"  he  says,  "has  failed  to  recognize  sufficiently  the 
need  and  importance  of  educating  people  and  especially  the  young 
for  the  humanizing  recreations  and  avocations  of  life  as  well 
as  the  imperious  bread-winning  vocations  which  they  must 
follow."  "The  greater  number  of  our  people,"  he  continues, 
"are  incapable  of  fruitful  leisure,  and  bankrupt  of  the  recreative, 
restorative  activities  of  leisure.  Visit  a  church  sociable  where 
the  good  townspeople  sit  helplessly  around;  visit  a  children's 
pa.rty  where  the  little  ones  wait  restlessly  for  the  ice  cream  and 
cake;  visit  a  Fourth-of-July  picnic,  or  roam  the  streets  of  a 
town  on  the  evening  of  Labor  Day,  Election  Day,  or  (lowest 
depth  of  all)  New  Year's  Eve,  and  what  a  pitiful  spectacle  of 
recreational  ineptitude  we  have  to  reckon  with !" 

The  school  should  help  in  restoring  "the  lost  aptitudes  of  the 
humanizing  arts  of  life."  Through  the  assembly  exercises  it  may 
play  an  important  part.  The  subjects  which  contribute  largely 
to  such  exercises  are  literature,  dramatics,  music,  art,  etc.,  and 
these  are  the  chief  sources  of  material  through  which  the  recrea- 
tive functions  operate. 

Superintendent  McANDREw  adds  this  statement: 
The  Assembly  must  be  "gone  to  with  delight,"  as  Shakespeare 
says   of   a   true   man's   business.     The   loftiest,   purest,    finest, 
presentations  of  the  social  virtues  may  pall  upon  the  children 


*  Dewey — Addresses   and   Proceedings   of   National   Education   Association, 
1902— p.  373. 


Interpretive  and  Instructional  Functions  9 

if  unvaried  by  provision  for  other  human  appetites.  Mr. 
Me  ANDREW,  writing  for  the  Catholic  Educational  Monthly,  on 
the  subject,  "The  Devil  is  a  Cheerful  Cuss,"  compares  the  efforts 
of  schools  and  of  dance  halls,  saloons  and  sellers  of  pleasure  to 
attract  youth.  "Our  competitors  know  the  allurements  of  bright- 
ness, liveliness,  laughter  and  enjoyment.  We  have  to  pass  laws 
compelling  children  to  come  to  school.  If  we  were  to  make  our- 
selves and  our  schoolhouses  as  inviting  as  we  know  how,  we 
could,  in  one  generation,  reverse  all  the  wretched  tradition  of 
unwilling  school  boys  like  snails  creeping  reluctantly  to  us." 

"The  assembly  must  have  liveliness  and  snap,  picturesqueness 
and  laughter,  motion  and  color.  Amusing  stories  told  and  acted 
are  an  essential  necessity  for  the  full  development  of  the  minds 
of  children.  There  is  a  wealth  of  entertaining  talent  among 
teachers  and  pupils  which  should  be  capitalized  for  making  school 
the  alluring  place  which  it  ought  to  be." 

3.    INTERPRETIVE:  FUNCTIONS 

The  interpretive  function  aims  to  engender  "attitudes  and  per- 
spectives." Through  the  content  of  the  curriculum,  particularly 
the  subjects  of  science,  geography,  industry,  history,  civics, 
hygiene,  etc.,  the  school  aims  to  give  the  pupil  some  insight  into 
the  processes  by  which  society  maintains  itself,  some  outlook 
upon  his  environment.  While  such  aims  are  realized  effectively 
in  classroom  instruction  also,  the  assembly  exercises  can  be  made 
a  valuable  supplement.  Through  the  illustration  of  industrial 
processes,  travel,  historical  events,  etc.,  and  through  the  explana- 
tions of  civic  and  industrial  life  by  outside  speakers,  the  pupils 
often  obtain  a  broader  point  of  view  upon  such  phases  of  human 
activity  than  is  afforded  by  regular  instruction. 

4.     INSTRUCTIONAL  FUNCTIONS 

For  drill,  personal  responsibility,  and  use  of  the  aid  of  records 
of  advancement,  the  assembly,  with  its  greater  numbers,  is  less 
effective  than  the  class.  For:  individual  answers',  deliberate 
thought  by  pupils,  for  expression  by  writing  and  drawing,  for 
specific  correction  of  errors,  it  is,  of  course,  inferior.  Where 
teachers  have  transferred  to  the  assembly  the  best  methods  of 


10  Aims  and  Values 

the  classroom,  the  assembly  has  failed.  Looking  and  listening 
must  of  necessity  be  the  activities  of  the  majority  of  the  children 
during  most  of  the.  informational  lessons  of  the  (auditorium. 
But  there  is  much  to  be  learned  by  these  means.  It  is  probably 
more  economical  to  use  the  stereopticon  for  several  hundred 
spectators  at  once  than  for  successive  groups  of  forty.  The 
fund  of  valuable  information  suitable  for  assembly  presentation 
is  almost  illimitable.  Current  history,  municipal,  household  and 
personal  hygiene,  science,  art,  music  and  travel, — in  short  all  the 
subjects  which  combine  entertainment  with  their  acquisition 
belong  to  assembly  programs. 

References: 

Arnold,  Felix— School  and  Class  Management— Vol.  II,  p.  43. 
Perry,  Arthur  C.— Management  of  a  City  School— p.  305. 
Bagley — Educational  Values. 

The  Francis  W.  Parker  School  Year  Book,  1913— Vol.  III.— "Morning 
Exercises  as  a  Socializing  Influence." 


11 


III.    MEANS  AND  METHODS 

The  means  and  methods  employed  in  auditorium  or  assembly 
exercises  must  differ  in  many  respects  from  work  in  the  class- 
room. The  presence  of  a  large  group  of  children  from  a  number 
of  grades  prevents  the  use  of  ordinary  recitation  methods.  Under 
the  conception,  however,  which  assumes  that  such  exercises  are 
valuable  in  and  for  themselves,  the  impossibility  of  using  ordin- 
ary or  customary  class  methods  may  not  be  considered  a  limi- 
tation. 

It  is  possible  to  employ  in  the  auditorium  many  forms  of 
activity  of  recognized  educational  value,  such  as  the  use  of  the 
stereopticon  and  moving  pictures,  lectures,  music — vocal  and 
instrumental,  recitations,  readings  and  story-telling,  dramatiza- 
tions, contests  and  debates,  folk  dances  and  physical  training. 

1.    VISUAL  INSTRUCTION 

The  first  conditions  of  clear  imagination  and  exact  thinking 
are,  according  to  SULLY,  distinct  and  sharply  defined  sense  impres- 
sions. The  most  important  method  of  gaining  such  sense  impres- 
sions is  through  the  visual  sense.  "It  is  interesting  physiologi- 
cally," writes  Professor  HORNE,  "that  the  optic  nerve  is  as  large 
as  all  the  other  afferent  nerves  combined,  yet  teachers  rely  almost 
entirely  upon  the  auditory  nerve,  handling  gingerly  chalk  and 
things.  Books  and  talk  are  too  exclusively  our  tools." 

As  aids  in  getting  vivid  mental  pictures  of  concrete  realities, 
the  value  of  pictorial  reproductions  and  graphic  representation 
must  be  recognized  more  and  more.  As  one  writer  puts  it,  "Visual 
aids  that  are  of  good  quality  and  are  properly  used,  arouse 
interest,  give  clear,  vivid  impressions,  aid  the  memory,  form  the 
basis  of  correct  judgment,  challenge  thought  and  prepare  for 
clear  definite  expression."  The  acceptance  of  visualization  as  a 
factor  in  the  educative  process  is  indicated  by  the  presence  in 
the  school  of  the  blackboard,  of  the  picture,  and  by  the  more 
recently  extended  use  of  the  stereopticon  and  of  motion  pictures. 

It  is  possible  to  illustrate  with  projected  pictures  almost  all 


12  Means  and  Methods 

the  subject-matter  that  forms  the  content  of  assembly  exercises, 
such  as  literature,  science,  history,  geography,  civics,  hygiene, 
etc.  The  possibilities  of  such  aids  in  school  work  have  not  been 
fully  developed  as  yet  but  await  further  extension  and  experiment 
and  the  formulation  of  a  sound  methodology. 

A.      STEREOPTICON  AND  LANTERN  SLIDES 

The  material  available  in  lantern  slides  is  plentiful  and  com- 
prehensive in  range.  Co-operation  with  various  public  institu- 
tions will  make  it  possible  for  schools  to  command  the  resources 
of  such  institutions  and  thus  will  afford  facilities  which  the 
individual  school  alone  could  not  possess. 

(1)  In  enumerating  the  sources  of  such  material  for  New 
York  City  schools,  it  is  proper  to  mention  first  the  Division  of 
Visual  Instruction  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
"New  York  was  the  first  state  to  prepare  such  visual  aids  in  the 
form  of  lantern  slides  and  photographic  prints  for  the  free  and 
general  use  of  educational  institutions.  Since  1885  the  state  has 
appropriated  funds  for  the  extension  of  visual  instruction.  The 
above-mentioned  division  lends,  free  of  charge,  to  schools  of  the 
state,  slides  on  subjects  of  an  educational  character.  The  con- 
ditions under  which  such  loans  are  made  are  indicated  in  the 
appendix,  see  pages  101-2. 

NOTE: — The  Board  if  Superintendents  is  endeavoring  to  arrange  an 
effective  method  for  the  distribution  of  the  slides  loaned  by  the  State 
Department.  At  present,  while  certain  district  superintendents  have 
been  requested  to  serve  as  official  distributors,  no  slides  are  available 
inasmuch  as  the  department  lacks  funds  to  meet  the  expenses  of 
expressage. 

The  range  of  subjects  included  is  quite  extensive.  Lists  and 
catalogs  may  be  had  upon  application  to  the  Division  of  Visual 
Instruction  at  Albany  or  may  be  consulted  at  the  Division  of 
Reference  and  Research.  It  is  impossible  to  give  here  the  titles 
of  all  the  slides  available.  The  following  general  headings, 
however,  are  given  as  typical : 

Excerpt  from  Handbook  31,  Visual  Instruction, 

University  of  the  State  of  New  York 

Catalogs  and  lists.  The  following  catalogs  and  lists  have  been  published 
since  1911  and  represent  all  the  slides  and  photograp'hs  that  have  been 
prepared  since  the  Capitol  fire.  Others  will  be  announced  from  time  to 
time  as  they  are  issued. 


Visual  Instruction — Lantern  Slides  13 

ENGLISH  AND  AMERICAN  LITERATURE  (631  titles) 

List  7,  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN.  30  titles,  several  of  which  relate  to 
Franklin  specifically  as  a  writer  and  printer. 

List  14,  SHAKESPEARE,  His  LIFE  AND  WORKS.  90  titles.  Portraits,  Strat- 
ford-on-Avon  and  neighborhood,  in  London,  return  to  Strat- 
ford-on-Avon,  memorials,  contemporaries  and  four  or  five 
scenes  from  each  of  the  plays  most  commonly  read. 

List  15,  ROBERT  BURNS  AND  THE  BURNS  COUNTRY.  24  titles.  Portrait, 
Ayr  and  vicinity,  Mossgiel  and  Mauchline,  outside  of  Ayr 
district,  monuments. 

List  16,  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT  AND  His  WORKS.  153  titles.  Portraits,  Ab- 
botsford,  Melrose,  Dryburgh  Abbey,  monuments,  contempor- 
aries. Illustrations  of  Ivanhoe :  map,  Rotherwood  forest, 
order  of  Knights  Templars,  Rotherwood  grange,  Isaac  of 
York,  Richard  Coeur  de  Lion,  tournament,  armor,  Ashby-da 
la-Zouch,  costumes,  Friar  Tuck,  Norman  castles,  medieval 
warfare,  weapons,  flight  of  the  Templar,  Robin  Hood  and 
his  band,  Comingsburgh  Castle,  Saxon  architecture,  chivalry. 
Lady  of  the  Lake:  numerous  views  of  the  lake  country: 
characters  and  scenes  of  the  poem.  There  are  also  illustra- 
tions for  the  Heart  of  Midlothian,  Kenilworth,  Old  Mortality, 
The  Pirate  and  Rob  Roy. 

List  17,     ENGLISH  LITERATURE.     109  titles,  relating  to  34  authors. 

List  18,  AMERICAN  LITERATURE.  235  titles,  relating  to  66  authors.  A 
number  of  these  pictures  are  useful  in  the  elementary  grades 
as  well  as  in  the  high  school.  A  superior  collection  of 
portraits  and  many  attractive  views  of  the  homes  and  sur- 
roundings of  American  writers.  Some  direct  illustrations 
of  works. 

AMERICAN  HISTORY  (761  titles) 

Catalog  II,  Part  A:  American  History  to  1763.  392  titles,  covering 
in  a  systematic  way  the  native  Indians,  early  discoveries  and  settlements, 
the  English  colonies,  Intercolonial  Wars.  (Copies  of  this  catalog  not 
available  until  reprinted.) 

Catalog  II,  Part  B:  The  Struggle  for  Independence.  277  titles.  An 
unusually  good  collection  of  original  photographic  reproductions,  arranged 
according  to  an  orderly  development  of  the  subject.  Many  page  references 
to  sources  of  information  are  given,  thus  adapting  the  collection  to 
classroom  instruction  and  individual  study.  (Copies  of  this  catalog  not 
available  until  reprinted.) 

List    7,     BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN.     30  titles,  treating  Franklin  as  a  printer, 
writer,  publisher,  illustrator,  public  official,  public  benefactor, 
scientist,  statesman  and  diplomat. 
List    8,    GEORGE  WASHINGTON.    62  titles,  quite  fully  covering  his  career. 

GEOGRAPHY  AND  TRAVEL 

A  relatively  large  number  of  slides  and  photographs  for  geography  are 
available.  The  following  lists  contain  1,484  titles,  to  which  may  be  added 
503  titles  of  the  commercial  and  industrial  lists  and  248  of  the  physical 
geography  list,  making  a  total  of  2,235.  Many  important  countries  are  not 
yet  represented  in  this  collection,  but  sufficient  pictures  are  now  available 
to  enable  any  school  to  do  a  good  deal  of  systematic  work  with  the 


14  Means  and  Methods 

lantern  in  this  subject.     Many  fundamental  geographic  facts  are  as  well 

illustrated  by  one  country  as  by  another.     The  aim   in  the  use  of  the 

pictures  should  be  to  train  in  the  ability  to  observe  and  interpret  geographic 

phenomena.     If   study  through  pictures   is   rightly  conducted,   it   is   not 

necessary  that  there  should  be  pictures  for  every  country. 

List  10,    WASHINGTON  AND  ENVIRONS.    69  titles.    Maps,  streets  and  parks, 

monuments,  the  capitol,  paintings  in  the  capitol,  the  White 

House,    United    States    department    buildings,    libraries    and 

museums,     other     buildings     including     legations,     environs. 

Suitable  for  a  general  lecture  and  for  study  in  geography  and 

civics. 

List  11,  THE  BERMUDAS.  68  titles.  A  new  and  enlarged  edition.  Means 
of  reaching  the  Bermudas — views  of  steamer  and  the  ocean 
in  rough  and  in  calm  weather;  general  topography  of  the 
islands  and  harbor  views;  coral  formations;  public  roads; 
typical  trees,  streets  and  residences;  churches,  school  and 
hospital;  characteristic  vegetation;  products;  manners  and 
customs  of  the  people,  points  of  historic  or  literary  interest. 
Type  studies  for  schools  and  popular  lecture  material. 
List  12,  PROVINCE  OF  QUEBEC  AND  NEWFOUNDLAND.  123  titles.  Rapids 
in  the  St.  Lawrence ;  numerous  views  of  Montreal ;  full 
study  of  the  historic  city  of  Quebec — maps  and  general  views  ; 
the  lower  town,  the  upper  town ;  environs  of  Quebec — Levis, 
Montmorency  and  vicinity;  St.  Anne  de  Beaupre;  the  seign- 
ioral  system  of  the  St.  Lawrence;  Thetford  and  its  asbestos 
mines;  Bird  Rock;  Perce  Rock;  Newfoundland  and  its 
fisheries;  Labrador  with  numerous  views  of  Eskimos  and 
icebergs. 

List  19,  PANAMA  CANAL  ZONE  AND  VICINITY.  86  titles.  Several  maps, 
old  Panama,  Porto  Bello,  the  French  operations  in  Panama, 
sea-level  approaches  to  the  locks,  excavations,  slides,  the 
Chagres  river,  locks,  Gatun  lake  and  dam,  other  canals  for 
comparison,  sanitation  in  the  zone,  life  in  the  zone,  laborers, 
local  transportation  facilities,  Taboga  island,  the  city  of 
Panama,  an  American  enterprise. 

List  30,  MEXICO.  95  titles.  Maps,  Quadalajara,  Guadalupe,  Mazatlan, 
Mexico  City  and  suburbs,  objects  of  archeological  and  his- 
toric interest  in  the  museums  of  Mexico  City,  Mitla  and  its 
ruins,  Monterey,  Oaxaca,  Puebla,  Queretaro,  Saltillo,  Tampico, 
Tepic,  physical  features,  races  and  people,  haciendas,  homes, 
manners  and  customs,  industries  and  products — mining,  cattle, 
cotton  mills,  coffee,  pulque,  travel  and  transportation  facilities, 
fauna  and  flora. 

List  31,  NOVA  SCOTIA  AND  NEW  BRUNSWICK.  112  titles.  Maps,  views 
at  sea,  city  and  harbor  of  Halifax,  the  Evangeline  country, 
Old  Annapolis  (Port  Royal),  Digby,  the  French  coast  and 
Clare  district,  Yarmouth  and  its  cotton  mills,  dikes  to  keep 
back  the  tide,  education,  industries — agriculture,  fisheries, 
sugar  refineries,  lumbering,  coal;  St.  John  and  vicinity;  tides 
of  the  Bay  of  Fundy. 

List  32,  PALESTINE  AND  OTHER  PARTS  OF  SYRIA.  253  titles.  General  maps : 
Jaffa,  the  principal  gateway  to  Palestine;  Jerusalem  and 
vicinity — maps,  views  within  the  city,  near  views  of  the  city 
wall  and  gates;  environs  of  Jerusalem — east,  south  and  west, 
north  and  northwest,  Bethany,  Rock  Tombs,  the  Great -South 


Visual  Instruction — Lantern  Slides  15 

Road  from  Jerusalem — Bethle'hem  and  vicinity,  Hebron  and 
vicinity,  Beersheba;  the  Jordan  depression — Sea  of  Galilee; 
Haifa,  Mount  Carmel  and  the  Plain  of  Esdraelon;  district  of 
Galilee — Mount  Tabor,  Nazareth,  Cana;  eastern  Palestine; 
northern  Syria — Beirut — Lebanon  mountains,  Damascus, 
Aleppo,  Baalbek;  races  of  people— Syrians,  Druses,  Jews, 
Arabs,  Turks;  religions;  poor  and  unfortunate  classes; 
domestic  animals;  trees  and  flowers;  shepherd  life;  agricul- 
ture; orchards  and  fruits — olives,  oranges,  dates,  grapes; 
manufacturing — olive  oil,  spinning  and  weaving,  skin  water- 
bottles;  domestic  life, — houses,  food  and  food  preparation; 
manners  and  customs;  government;  paintings. 

Of  interest  not  merely  to  students  of  the  Bible  land.  The  collection 
contains  excellent  pictures  for  the  study  of  ancient  history  and  physiogra- 
phy. Such  pictures  as  those  on  Bedouins  and  primitive  life  are  useful 
for  oral  English  and  other  work  in  primary  grades. 

List  33,  BAALBEK.  37  titles.  A  careful  study  of  the  remains  of  this 
city  of  Baal  worshipers,  the  Romans,  Christians  and  Moham- 
medans. Maps  and  general  views,  the  temple  of  Bacchus,  the 
Great  Temple,  the  quarry  from  which  huge  stones  were 
taken,  ornamental  fragments,  the  temple  of  Venus,  a  compara- 
tive study  of  architectural  features.  Of  special  interest  to 
students  of  art  and  of  ancient  history;  a  good  travel  collection. 
List  34,  INDIA  AND  CEYLON.  268  titles.  Part  I,  India.  Map;  Bengal — 
Calcutta,  along  the  Ganges,  Darjeeling  and  vicinity,  people, 
fur  trade;  Bombay  province — Bombay,,  Elephanta  caves; 
Burma — Rangoon,  rice  culture;  Punjab — Amritsar,  Delhi  and 
vicinity,  the  Durbar,  Lahore,  Simla,  Sutlej  valley;  United 
Provinces  of  Agra  and  Oudh— Agra,  Sikandarah,  Fatehpur- 
Sikri,  Benares;  native  States — Baroda  Kashmir  (including 
maps,  Jhelum  river  road,  Srinagar  and  environs,  people  and 
industrial  life,  museums,  government)  ;  Rajputana,  Mt.  Aba, 
-  Alwar,  Jaipur,  Udaipur;  native  architecture;  religious  cus- 
toms; industries  and  products;  mountain  scenery;  peculiar 
features  of  native  life;  plants  and  animals.  Part  2,  Ceylon. 
Map;  Anuradhapura,  Colombo;  Kandy,  Negombo;  people, 
manners  and  customs;  flora;  fauna;  commercial  products — 
gems,  cacao,  camphor,  cinnamon,  cocoanut,  pepper,  rice,  rrh- 
ber,  tea,  vanilla.  A  wide  range  of  excellent  pictures  for  both 
schools  and  study  clubs. 

List  35,  FLORIDA.  195  titles.  Maps;  physical  features — the  Big  Cypress 
swamp,  the  everglades;  types  of  land— hummock,  pine  and 
prairie;  formation  of  new  lands — beach  vines,  mangroves, 
coqnina;  fauna — birds,  fish,  insects,  mammals,  reptiles;  flora; 
Biscayne  bay;  Duval ;  India  river;  Jacksonville  and  vicinity; 
Key  West;  Miami;  Ocklawaha  river;  Okeechobee  lake;  Or- 
lando; Ormond;  Palatka;  Palm  Beach;  St.  Augustine;  San- 
ford  ;  Tampa ;  people — negroes.  Seminoles ;  sports ;  com- 
mercial products — bananas,  cocoanuts,  cotton,  grapefruit, 
oranges,  phosphate,  pineapples,  sponges,  sugar,  tobacco,  truck 
gardening — celery ;  turpentine  industry.  An  exceptionally 
complete  and  well  balanced  collection  on  a  part  of  the  United 
States  that  possesses  many  peculiar  and  interesting  features. 
List  36,  AUSTRALIA.  66  titles.  Several  excellent  maps ;  physical  features, 
natural  scenery,  climate  and  water  supply;  sheep  industry: 


16  Means  and  Methods 

cattle  raising;  life  on  the  frontier;  wheat;  horses;  tobacco; 
grapes,  and  other  minor  products;  mining — gold  and  coal; 
trees  and  forests;  native  animals;  Sidney  and  vicinity;  Mel- 
bourne; the  army  and  navy;  new  seat  of  government.  An 
excellent  study  of  general  aspects  of  Australia  prepared  with 
the  co-operation  of  Australian  state  governments. 

List  43,  BELGIUM  AND  THE  GRAND-DUCHY  OF  LUXEMBERG.  113  titles. 
Maps,  Antwerp,  Bruges,  Brussels,  Coutrai,  Dinant  and  vicin- 
ity, Ghent,  Liege,  Louvain,  Mechlin,  Namur,  Ostend,  Ouden- 
arde,  Tournay,  Waterloo,  Ypres ;  industries — coal  mining,  flax, 
lace,  horse  raising;  manners  and  customs;  architecture- 
Romanesque,  Gothic,  Renaissance,  nineteenth  century;  sculp- 
ture— Qothic,  nineteenth  century;  painting — Grand-duchy  of 
Luxemburg. 

INDUSTRIAL  AND  COMMERCIAL   (503  titles) 

List  3,  IRON  AND  STEEL.  84  titles.  Mines  and  ores,  general  aspect  of 
the  industry,  coke  as  fuel,  pig  iron,  wrought  iron,  Bessemer 
process,  open-hearth  process,  rolling  mills,  construction  steel, 
foundry  practice,  physics  and  chemistry  of  the  industry, 
ingots  and  their  defects,  sociology. 

List  21,  COAL  MINING.  42  titles.  The  Carboniferous  age,  coal  veins, 
the  mine,  surface  structure  and  operations,  the  breaker, 
homes  of  workmen,  storage,  transportation  and  map. 

List  22,  CLAY  AND  CLAY  PRODUCTS.  54  titles.  Common  brick,  other 
practical  clay  products,  china  clay,  processes  of  pottery  mak- 
ing, aspects  of  pottery  making  in  other  lands,  ancient  pottery, 
some  artistic  articles  of  pottery  enamel  ware. 

List  20,  SALT.  18  titles.  The  solar  process,  general  views  of  salt  works, 
the  grainer  process,  the  vacuum  pan  process,  putting  up  fine 
salt  for  market,  rock  salt;  alkali  products. 

List  9,  NATURAL  AND  ARTIFICIAL  ICE.  19  titles.  Harvesting  natural 
ice;  a  simple  refrigerator;  artificial  ice;  (a)  the  ammonia 
cycle,  (b)  the  water  system,  storage  and  map. 

List  23,  FORESTRY  AND  LUMBERING.  131  titles.  The  forest,  the  lumber 
camp,  felling,  sawing  and  skidding,  road  building,  winter 
hauling,  log  driving,  saw  mills,  lumber,  woodlots,  other  forest 
products,  forest  distinction,  effects  of  forests  on  flow  of 
water,  forest  restoration — natural  seeding,  the  tree  nursery, 
tree  planting,  forestry  outside  New  York  State. 

List  5,  NAVAL  STORES.  14  titles  on  yellow  pine  forests,  process  of  manu- 
facture, sources  and  distribution  of  naval  stores. 

List  4,  MAPLE  SUGAR.  7  titles  on  gathering  sap  and  converting  it  into 
sugar  and  syrup. 

List  26,  WHALES  AND  THE  WHALE  FISHERY.  48  titles  on  the  history 
and  methods  of  whale  fishery,  kinds  and  parts  of  whales,  oil, 
baleen,  by-products,  natural  enemies,  expeditions,  decadence  of 
New  England  whale  fishery. 

BIOLOGY   (74  titles) 

List  25,  FLIES.  26  titles.  Both  biological  and  health  aspects  are  illus- 
trated. 

List  26,  WHALES  AND  THE  WHALE  FISHERY.  48  titles  on  an  interesting 
mammal  and  its  special  adaptation  for  life  in  water. 


Visual  Instruction — Lantern  Slides  17 

PHYSICAL  GEOGRAPHY  (248  titles) 

List  24,  PHYSICAL  GEOGRAPHY.  248  titles.  This  collection  was  pre- 
pared in  1908  with  special  reference  to  the  high  school 
course.  A  limited  number  of  sets  are  still  available. 

(2)  Another  source  of  material  of  this  form  is  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History.  The  following  circular  issued  by 
the  Museum  authorities  a  short  time  ago  tells  its  own  story: 

Information  for  the  Teachers  of  the  Public  Schools 
of  New  York  City 

LANTERN  SLIDES  FOR  SCHOOL  USE  WITHOUT  EXPENSE 

1.  Do  you  know  that  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  has  a 

collection  of  more  than  20,000  lantern  slides  suitable  for  illus- 
trating lectures  in  geography,  history,  natural  science  and 
industry? 

2.  Do   you  know   that  the  Museum  has   made  special   arrangements 

with  the  Board  of  Education  whereby  you  may  have  the  free 
use  of  these  slides  in  your  classroom,  merely  for  the  asking? 

3.  Do  you  know  that  the  Museum   will  deliver  the  slides  that  you 

wish  to  use  at  your  school,  and  call  for  them  at  the  ^nd  of  the 
loan  period,  without  expense  to  you? 

4.  Do  you  know  that  the  Museum  will  be  glad  to  send  you  a  general 

catalogue  of  the  slides  in  its  collection  on  request? 

5.  Do  you  know  that  the  necessary  order  blanks  will  be  sent  to  you 

on  request? 

6.  Do  you  know  that  slides  may  be  reserved  for  future  use? 

7.  Do  you  know  that  there  are  ten  prepared  illustrated  lectures  which 

you  may  have  on  request? 

8.  Do  you  know  that  you  may  obtain  full  particulars  in  regard  to  the 

slides  which  the  Museum  loans  to  teachers  by  addressing 
George  H.  Sherwood,  Curator 

Department  of  Public  Education 

American  Museum  of  Natural  History 

77th    Street   and    Central   Park   West,    N.   Y.    C. 

The  conditions  under  which  loans  are  made  are  given  in  full 
in  the  Appendix,  see  page  102. 

Lists  are  being  prepared  giving  the  call  numbers  and  titles  of 
slides  arranged  by  subjects.  For  the  present,  however,  teachers 
desiring  to  select  single  slides  on  any  topic  may  consult  the 
reference  file  at  the  Museum. 

The  Museum's  collection  of  slides  is  probably  the  best  of  its 
kind  in  the  country.  The  limits  of  space  in  this  bulletin  prevent 
any  extended  listing.  The  following  list,  however,  will  give 
some  idea  of  the  wealth  of  material  in  this  form  which,  through 
the  kind  co-operation  of  the  Museum,  is  placed  at  the  command 
of  the  New  York  schools  for  the  education  of  our  children  :* 


*  See   Catalogue  No.   I. 


18  Means  and  Methods 

1.  Maps   of   hemispheres,   continents,   countries,   islands, 

oceans,    etc 437  slides 

2.  Europe : 

Scotland  100  " 

England  273  " 

Germany . 135  " 

Austria  

France    560  " 

Italy » ~... ~~ '308 

Spain 4  " 

Russia  _ - 122  " 

Norway,  Sweden  and  Denmark.. 13  " 

Iceland  47  " 

Netherlands    . 291  " 

Belgium   225 

Greece 99  " 

Turkey  in  Europe  5  " 

Switzerland  _  88  " 

3.  Asia : 

China    7  " 

Japan    10  " 

Arabia 1  " 

India  97  " 

Persia 1  " 

Turkey 145  " 

Siberia   15  " 


Farther  India 6 

4.  Africa : 

Egypt    131 

North  Central  A f rica  

South  Central  Africa  22 

5.  North  America : 

Canada 


Mexico 

114 

United  States  
Panama 

1,737 
138 

Central  America 

West  Indies  _  _.... 

„  136 

6 

South  America  „  

239 

7. 
8 

Pacific  Islands,  Philippine  Islands,  Australia,  etc... 
Arctic  and  Antarctic  Regions  

376 

82 

9. 

Natural  Sciences: 
Astronomy       

43 

Paleontology  _  .    . 

Geology 

200 

Botany 

_     300 

Zoology    .    

..„.    .  1,326 

10 

Public  Safety  ..  

.     112 

11. 

Industries  : 
Agriculture      ~  

349 

Fishing 

Mining      

65 

Quarrying-   .. 

Manufacture  _ 192 

12.  History— United  States  -.,.- 163 

13.  Fine  Arts  ...  275 


Visual  Instruction — Lantern  Slides  19 

The  pictures  show  scenic  views  of  the  particular  countries, — 
lakes,  mountains,  valleys,  glaciers,  geysers,  water-falls,  rivers, 
harbors — views  of  historic  and  noted  buildings,  street  scenes, 
bridges,  arches,  monuments,  temples,  life  and  customs,  native 
types,  industrial  and  animal  life. 

Almost  any  topic  included  in  the  geography  or  nature  study 
syllabuses  may  be  found  represented  in  this  collection  of  slides. 

In  addition,  the  Museum's  Educational  Department  has  pre- 
pared a  special  set  of  lectures  for  lending  to  the  public  schools. 
''Each  lecture  set  contains  from  60  to  100  slides  and  is  accom- 
panied by  manuscript  notes  giving  information  concerning  the 
slides  and  data  which  will  serve  as  the  basis  for  a  complete  lecture, 
about  an  hour  in  length.  Catalogue  No.  2  contains  the  synopsis 
of  these  lectures."  Ten  lectures  are  now  ready  and  others  are 
in  course  of  preparation.  The  lecture  sets  ready  are : 

Call  No.  Title 

1.  The  War  Zone  of  Western  Europe  in  Time  of  Peace 

2.  The  Panama  Canal 

3.  Our  Forests  and  Their  Uses 

4.  The  Birds  of  Our  Parks 

5.  A  Journey  in  South  America 

6.  The  Wonderful  Work  of  Water 

7.  Oral  Hygiene 

8.  Minor  Industries  of  New  York  State 

9.  Some  Sources  of  Our  Food  Supply 
10.  Mexico 

In  the  third  place  the  Museum  will  send  lecturers  to  the 
schools  to  give  illustrated  talks  on  topics  related  to  natural 
history  or  science. 

(3)  A  third  source  of  slides  material  is  the  Museum  of  Art. 
The  Museum  owns  a  large  collection  of  lantern  slides,  num- 
bering 17,000,  covering  objects  in  its  own  collections,  as  well 
as  famous  works  of  art  in  other  places,  architecture,  sculpture, 
paintings,  and  objects  of  minor  arts. 

The  Museum  is  ready  and  eager  to  lend  its  slides  to  New 
York  public  school  teachers  free  of  charge  for  use  in  the  schools. 
The  rules  under  which  the  slides  are  loaned  are  given  in  the 
Appendix,  page  103.  "The  number  of  slides  is  increasing  so 
rapidly  that  it  is  not  feasible  to  use  a  printed  catalogue.  The 
slides  are  arranged  so  as  to  form  a  catalogue  and  may  easily  be 
consulted  at  the  Museum." 


20  Means  and  Methods 

The  collection  may  briefly  be  described  as  follows.  It  embraces 
four  divisions: 

1.  Antiquities,  under  which  head  are  included  Egyptian  and  Classical 

art. 

2.  Far  Eastern  Art — Chinese  and  Japanese  art. 

3.  Near  oriental  art — Persian,  India  and  Asia  Minor. 

4.  Western  art — embracing  Italy,  Spain,  Holland,  England,  Flanders, 

France,  America,  etc. 

Under  each  of  the  above  divisions  are  included  slides  showing 
for  the  given  period  or  place,  the  architecture,  the  sculpture,  the 
paintings,  manners  and  customs,  travel,  history,  musical  instru- 
ments, arms  and  armor,  textiles,  ceramics,  illuminations  and 
manuscripts,  prints,  etchings,  engravings,  enamels,  mosaics, 
carpets,  laces,  tapestry,  etc. 

The  Museum  authorities  are  ready  to  give  advice  and  sugges- 
tion as  to  the  selection  and  the  use  of  the  slides  in  the  school  to 
any  teacher  visiting  the  Museum.  The  Museum  also  provides 
several  lecturers  who  will  visit  any  school  upon  request  of  the 
principal  to  deliver  illustrated  lectures  on  topics  relating  to  art. 

(4)  Dr.  WILLIAM  T.  HORNADAY,  Director  and  General  Cur- 
ator of  the  Zoological  Park,  recently  agreed  to  co-operate  with  the 
public  schools  by  supplying  for  use  in  the  schools  a  set  of  slides 
picturing  the  animals  in  the  Zoological  Park.     As  soon  as  such 
slides  are  prepared,  notice  will  be  sent  to  the  schools  with  full 
directions  for  obtaining  such  material. 

(5)  The  Department  of  Health  also  has  sets  of  slides  which 
may  be  borrowed  by  the  public  schools.     Such  slides  illustrate 
the  following  topics :  - 

"The  City's  Milk  Supply" 

"The  City's  Food  Supply" 

"Mosquitoes  and  Flies" 

"Patent  Medicines" 

"Child  Hygiene" 

"Tuberculosis" 

"The  Work  of  the  Department  of  Health" 

In  addition,  moving-picture  films  illustrating  health  and  hygiene 
are  available  for  use  in  the  schools.  Upon  request,  speakers  on 
public  health  subjects  are  supplied.  Application  should  be  made 
to  the  Bureau  of  Public  Health  Education,  CHARLES  F.  BOLDUAN, 
M.D.,  Director,  Department  of  Health. 


Visual  Instruction — Lantern  Slides  21 

(6)  The  Fire  Department  of  the  city  has  about  fifty  slides 
on  Fire  Prevention,  showing  hazardous  conditions  in  homes  and 
factories   and  emphasizing  the  precautions  that  must  be  taken 
to  prevent  fires.     The  list  is  growing.     Certain  members  of  the 
Fire  Department  will  lecture  on  fire  prevention  at  the  schools 
upon  invitation.    Applications  for  material  should  be  sent  to  the 
Bureau  of  Fire  Prevention,  Fire  Department,  Municipal  Building. 
The  slides  must  be  called  for,  handled  carefully  and  returned 
promptly  after  use. 

(7)  The  American  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Animals,  through  its  Department  of  Humane  Education,  has 
co-operated  for  some  time  with  the  public  schools.    The  Society 
has  on  hand  a  very   large  number  of  slides  bearing  upon  the 
cause   of    animal    protection   and    illustrating   various   types   of 
animal  life  and  animal  treatment.     The  Society  will  be  pleased 
to  lend  such  slides  to  the  public  schools.     It  will  also  furnish  a 
lecturer,  apparatus,  and  assistant  without  charge.     Application 
should  be  made  to  the  Department  of  Humane  Education  and 
Extension,  Mr.  H.  ELMER  GILCHRIST,  Director,  of  the  A.  S.  P. 
C.  A.,  50  Madison  Avenue,  New  York  City. 

(8)  The  Stereoptieon  Loan  Library  established  by  the  United 
States  Public  Health  Service  consists  of  over  2,500  views,  the 
majority  of  which  are  original,  dealing  with  the  various  aspects 
of  public  health  problems.    Some  of  the  subject  divisions  suitable 
for  school  use  are  as  follows : 

ALASKA.  93  views  depicting  living  conditions  in  the  territory  of  Alaska, 
types  of  villages  and  the  diseases  from  which  the  natives  suffer. 

FIRST  AID.  Incomplete.  About  two  dozen  slides  showing  the  course  of 
arteries,  where  pressure  should  be  applied  to  check  hemmorhage, 
how  fractures  should  be  immobilized,  X-ray  plates  of  fractures,  etc. 

INDIANS.  Housing  and  living  conditions  among  the  American  Indians 
are  shown  in  a  series  of  fifty  odd  views. 

MALARIA.  In  approximately  200  slides  the  following  are  demonstrated: 
Prevalence  of  the  disease;  larval,  pupal,  and  adult  development 
stages  of  anopheline  mosquitoes,  breeding  places,  methods  of  era- 
dication, including  oiling,  drainage  and  the  types  of  fish  destructive 
to  the  larvae.  Prevention  of  the  disease  by  screening  and  the 
use  of  quinine. 

MOUTH  HYGIENE.  15  slides  showing  development  of  the  teeth,  and  facial 
appearance  of  mouth  breathers. 


22  Means  and  Methods 

MILK.  84  views  showing  tuberculous  cows,  proper  and  improper  stabling, 
care  and  treatment  of  dairy  herds,  methods  for  Pasteurizing  milk, 
spread  of  milk  borne  epidemics,  and  the  importance  of  sanitary 
measures  in  securing  clean  milk. 

MISCELLANEOUS  SUBJECTS.  Sewage  disposal,  fumigation  and  cleaning  of 
railway  cars,  and  slides  relating  to  occupational  diseases,  Rocky 
Mountain  spotted  fever,  etc. — over  100  views  in  all. 

PHYSIOLOGY.  30  slides  demonstrating  the  brain,  heart,  lungs,  stomach, 
structure  of  cells,  etc. 

SERVICE  GENERAL.  The  activities  of  the  United  States  Public  Health 
Service  depicted  in  320  views.  Photographs  of  Service  Officers, 
Quarantine  stations  and  vessels,  and  marine  hospitals,  including  the 
tuberculosis  sanatorium  at  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  are  shown. 
Also  method  of  fumigating  ships,  examination  of  passengers,  de- 
tention barracks  and  quarantine  procedure.  The  mental  and  physical 
examination  of  immigrants,  types  of  immigrants,  and  immigration 
stations  are  likewise  included. 

TUBERCULOSIS.  Over  100  slides  showing  the  economic  loss  from  tuber- 
culosis, susceptible  races,  the  tubercle  bacillus,  pathological  con- 
ditions in  the  lungs,  the  relation  of  the  disease  to  improper  housing, 
and  the  causes  predisposing  to  the  infection.  Also  the  precautions 
to  be  exercised,  methods  of  care,  and  the  benefits  of  outdoor 
schools  and  sanatorium  treatment  are  illustrated. 

TYPHOID  FEVER.  250  views  of  great  public  health  interest.  Herein  are 
shown  the  role  of  flies,  filth,  infected  milk,  polluted  water  and 
improper  sewage  disposal  in  the  dissemination  of  the  infection. 
Methods  of  prevention,  including  proper  care  of  milk  supplies, 
avoidance  of  water  pollution  and  the  prevention  of  fly  breeding 
are  also  included. 

The  slides  are  loaned  to  the  schools  without  cost.  "Persons 
desiring  slides  should  advise  the  Bureau  at  Washington,  D.  C., 
as  to  what  subjects  they  are  interested  in,  so  that  proper  catalogs 
may  be  forwarded.  The  slides  should  be  selected  by  number, 
and  the  request  made  upon  the  application  blank.  It  is  expected 
that  slides  broken  by  careless  handling  or  packing  will  be  re- 
placed; these  to  be  ordered  from  the  Government  contractor  by 
the  U.  S.  Public  Health  Service  and  the  bill  therefor  to  be  paid 
by  the  borrower." 

(9)  Railroad  Companies.  Many  of  the  railway  companies 
have  slide  material  illustrating  the  work  of  their  systems  and  the 
scenery  of  the  country  through  which  the  railroads  pass.  Inquiry 
by  this  Division  has  elicited  the  response  that  such  slide  material 
may  be  borrowed  by  the  schools  of  the  city. 

The  New  York  Central  has  a  set  of  lantern  slides  on  the  topic, 
"New  York  to  Niagara  Falls." 

The  Union  Pacific  Railroad  System  has  a  set  of  100  hand- 
colored  slides  on  Yellowstone  National  Park, — and  155  slides 


Visual  Instruction — Motion  Picture  Films  23 

covering  the  trip  from  Omaha  via  Denver  and  Colorado  points, 
Ogden,  Salt  Lake  City  to  and  through  the  Yellowstone  Park. 
The  latter  set  is  accompanied  by  prepared  lecture. 

The  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  Company  will  lend  its  set  of 
lantern  slides  showing  views  along  the  railroad  from  Halifax 
to  Vancouver.  Each  set  consists  of  about  one  hundred  slides  and 
is  accompanied  by  a  printed  lecture. 

The  Northern  Pacific  Railway  has  prepared  many  hand-colored 
slides,  "faithful  reproductions  of  the  scenery  represented."  These 
slides  are  arranged  in  sets  on  the  subjects,  "Yellowstone  Park" 
and  "Over  the  Scenic  Highway"  and  are  accompanied  by  care- 
fully prepared  lecture  notes. 

The  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  has  sent 
to  this  Division  about  twenty  slides  illustrating  scenes  along  its 
route.  These  slides  have  been  turned  over  to  the  Division  of 
Duplicate  Schools  and  may  be  obtained  from  that  Division. 

Some  schools  have  been  furnished  with  slides  material  as  part 
of  the  school  equipment.  Such  supply,  however,  is  limited  in 
quantity.  It  is  obviously  impossible  to  equip  every  school  to  any 
great  extent  with  slides  material.  A  system  of  exchange  is 
necessary  whereby  the  resources  of  all  schools  within  a  given 
district  could  be  made  available  for  each  school. 

Various  commercial  photographic  firms  will  rent  slides  at  a 
reasonable  rate.  The  National  Geographic  Society  is  prepared 
to  sell  slides  of  pictures  which  have  been  published  in  the  differ- 
ent numbers  of  its  magazine.  However,  it  seems  unnecessary 
for  any  school  to  rent  or  purchase  slides  when  so  much  material 
is  available  without  expense. 

B.    MOTION  PICTURE;  FILMS 

Up  to  a  recent  date  the  material  of  this  type  available  for 
educational  purposes  has  been  limited.  There  has  been  little 
demand  for  it  on  the  part  of  educational  institutions.  This  has 
been  due  in  part  to  the  expensive  equipment  required  and, 
secondly,  to  the  conservatism  of  the  schools  in  recognizing  the 
motion  picture  as  an  educational  agency.  However,  the  patent 
possibilities  in  the  use  of  the  motion  picture  as  an  aid  to  educa- 
tion have  led  to  the  production  of  smaller  and  less  costly 


24  Means  and  Methods 

apparatus  and  to  the  preparation  of  films  of  a  character  more 
suited  to  the  needs  of  the  schools. 

( 1 )  Most  of  the  film  supply  concerns  have  educational  depart- 
ments, while  several  such  companies  are  confining  their  attention 
to  the  production  of  educational  films. 

It  is  impossible  to  include  in  this  bulletin  any  detailed  descrip 
tion  of  material  of  this  type  supplied  by  the  many  commercial 
concerns.  For  this  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  detailed  catalogs 
issued  by  such  concerns  who  rent  films  usually  at  the  rate  of 
two  or  three  dollars  a  reel.  Films  on  a  wide  variety  of  subjects 
are  now  obtainable,  i.e.,  agriculture,  aeronautics,  architecture, 
archeology,  athletics,  applied  sciences,  ballooning,  chemistry, 
dances,  fine  arts,  fisheries,  forestry,  geography,  geology,  history, 
hydraulics,  industries  of  all  types;  literature,  mechanics,  mining, 
natural  sciences,  physics,  railways,  scenic  views,  and  many  others. 

(2)  The  Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics.     An  important 
source  for  films  which  are  educational  in  character,  is  the  Bureau 
of   Commercial  Economics,  Washington,  D.   C.     "The  Bureau 
is  an  association  of  the  governments,  institutions,  manufacturers, 
producers,    and    transportation    lines    of    America    and    other 
countries,  to  engage  in  disseminating  geographical,  commercial, 
industrial  and  vocational  information  by  the  graphic  method  of 
motography,  showing  how  things  in  common  use  are  made  or 
produced,  and  under  what  conditions.    The  Bureau  displays  its 
reels  and  slides  in  universities,  colleges,  technical  and  agricultural 
schools,  public  libraries,   state  armories,  high  schools,  people's 
institutes,  etc.    They  are  available,  however,  only  when  admittance 
to  the  public  is  free.    For  large  audiences  the  Bureau  will  provide, 
without  expense,   special   lecturers  on   current  subjects,  travel, 
industry,  and  banking." 

Types  of  Films  Exhibited.  "The  Bureau  aims  to  disclose  the  pro- 
duction and  manufacture  of  articles  in  common  use,  to  reveal  the 
source  of  supply,  and  follow  the  raw  material  to  the  finished  products ; 
as,  for  instance,  sheep  on  the  ranges,  washing  and  shearing,  and  then 
following  the  bale  of  wool  through  all  the  processes  to  the  making  of 
cloth  and  clothing,  and  the  pelt  to  the  tannery,  and  thence  to  the 
manufacture  of  shoes  and  gloves  and  commercial  leather.  The  flesh 
of  the  sheep  is  shown  through  the  films  of  the  packing  houses,  until 
its  preparation  for  the  table  and  all  the  by-products  are  disposed  of. 
The  same  method  obtains  as  to  the  cattle  industry/' 

"Films  show  the  making  of  glassware  from  sand;  china  in  all 
forms  from  clay,  and  linen  from  the  planting  of  flax,  and  cotton 


Visual  Instruction — Motion  Picture  Films  25 

garments  from  the  sowing  of  the  seed.  All  fields  of  human  effort,  in 
industrial  lines,  are  thus  disclosed  through  the  medium  of  motion 
pictures." 

'.'Geographic,  scenic,  fish,  bird  and  animal  life,  forest  and  bird 
reservation  films  are  available,  likewise  films  illustrating  the  customs 
of  people  and  races  of  other  lands." 

(3)  Many  industrial  concerns  also  have  prepared  films  show- 
ing the  processes  involved  in  their  particular  industries.     Such 
films  may  be  obtained  free  of  charge  for  a  limited  period  upon 
application.    A  list  of  such  concerns  has  been  supplied  by  Mr. 
WILLIAM  E.  GRADY,  principal  of  Public  School  64,  Manhattan, 
and  is  included  in  the  appendix.     See  pages  103-5. 

(4)  The  Police  Department  of  the  city  has  several  moving 
picture   films   illustrating  activities   of   the    Police   Department. 
These  films  are  at  present  in  continuous  use  but  may  be  obtained 
by  principals  if  application  is  made  several  weeks  in  advance. 

(5)  The  Fire  Department  will  lend  to  the  schools  several 
moving  picture  films,  i.e.,  "The  Locked  Door,"  a  three-reel  film 
play   on   fire   prevention   in   factories ;   "The   Fire  Fighters,"   a 
three-reel  film  illustrating  the  activities  of  the  department,  etc. 

(6)  The  Conservation  Commission  of  the  State  of  New  York 
has  a  number  of  educational  films  on  the  subject  of  conservation 
which  the  schools  may  borrow  from  time  to  time.    Some  of  the 
films  are :  > 

a.  "Raising  10,000,000  forest  trees  annually  in  the  six  state  nurseries 

of  the  Conservation  Commission  for  reforesting  denuded  land. 
The  various  steps  are  shown  from  planting  the  seed  beds  to  re- 
foresting the  land  with  four  year  old  transplants,  and  ending 
with  panoramas  of  plantations  of  forests  ages  from  eight  to 
twenty-eight  years.  A  particularly  interesting  and  instructive 
film." 

b.  "Raising  ring-neck  pheasants  on  the  three  state  game  farms  for 

stocking  the  covers  of  the  state.  The  various  steps  in  raising 
pheasants  are  shown  with  live  birds  in  practically  all  of  the 
scenes.  This  is  a  wild  life  film  of  considerable  interest." 

c.  "  'The  Match  in  the  Forest,'  which  shows  the  work  of  protecting 

the  forests  from  fire  by  means  of  observers  from  the  mountain 
tops  and  ranges  and  the  detailed  system  of  fighting  forest  fires 
after  they  have  developed.  Very  instructive." 

d.  "  'The  Forest   Preserve.'     A   film   showing   the   character    of   the 

Forest  Preserve,  the  use  that  the  public  makes  of  it,  the  reasons 
for  establishing  it  and  the  necessity  for  increasing  it.  This  is 
very  largely  a  scenic  film." 

e.  "  'Liberation  of  a  Car  Load  of  Elk  in  the  Adirondack  Mountains' 

Elk  are  shown  first  in  the  Yellowstone,  then  in  the  corrals  in 


26  Means  and  Methods 

which  they  were  captured  and  afterward  as  they  are  being 
loaded  on  the  car  for  transportation  to  the  Adirondacks.  The 
unloading  and  liberation  in  the  Adirondacks  is  then  shown. 
This  is  a  good  wild  animal  film.  It  ends  with  a  review  of  the 
New  York  State  Game  Protectors  by  Governor  Whitman." 
/.  "Another  film  shows  first  the  work  of  improving  small  streams 
by  building  dams  upon  them  in  order  to  create  stream  pools 
in  which  fish  are  planted.  The  detailed  work  of  planting  the 
fish  is  also  shown.  This  is  then  followed  by  a  section  showing 
the  pupils  of  Boonville  High  School  reforesting  the  slopes  of 
their  municipal  water  shed  with  white  pine  trees  supplied  by  the 
State  nurseries  of  the  Conservation  Commission.  The  end  of 
the  film  shows  some  tamed  bears  in  the  Adirondack  mountains. 
The  bear  section  will  be  very  interesting  to  children  and  is 
rather  humorous  in  its  makeup." 

(7)     Railroads 

The  Union  Pacific  System  will  lend  to  the  schools  its  moving 
picture  film  on  "Estes  Park"  and  on  "Yellowstone  Park." 

The  Canadian  Pacific  System,  in  addition  to  the  lantern  slides 
already  mentioned,  has  several  films  which  are  at  the  disposal 
of  the  schools,  i.e., 

"Among  The  Glaciers" 

"Through  The  Canadian  Pacific  Rockies" 

The  Hudson  River  Day  Line  lends  reels  portraying  the  scenery 
and  life  along  New  York's  historic  river. 

C.      METHODS  OF  USING  MATERIAL 

It  seems  obvious  that  the  educational  value  of  pictures  depends 
upon  their  proper  selection  and  upon  their  proper  use. 

The  pictures,  slides  or  films,  selected  for  use  must  be  dis- 
tinctively suitable  in  character.  The  morbid,  the  sentimental,  the 
melodramatic  should  be  excluded.  One  of  the  hindrances  in  the 
use  of  motion  pictures  in  education  has  been  the  difficulty  of 
preparing  films  of  scientific  topics  in  such  a  way  that  they  could 
be  easily  understood.  Another  factor  has  been  that  in  history 
and  in  classical  literature  the  films  produced  have  been  rendered 
useless  for  educational  purposes  by  the  misrepresentation  of  the 
facts  or  by  the  introduction  of  sentimentalism  in  various  forms 
to  increase  the  dramatic  value  of  the  picture.  The  pictures 
should  be  seen  by  the  teacher  before  selection  for  exhibition  to 
the  children. 

The  use  of  pictures  is  a  form  of  objective  teaching  which  is 


Visual  Instruction — Motion  Picture  Films  27 

subject  to  the  same  limitations  as  other  media  of  indirect  educa- 
tion. The  value  of  pictures  as  an  aid  to  instruction  depends  upon 
the  preparation  made  in  preliminary  study,  the  effort  and  atten- 
tion put  into  the  observation  and  the  reaction  that  follows  in  the 
pupil  in  the  form  of  expression,  conclusions,  generalization  or 
applications.  Mere  observation  will  not  suffice.  Mr.  ABRAMS, 
head  of  the  Division  of  Visual  Instruction,  in  speaking  of  the 
pedagogy  of  pictures  says: 

"A  picture  is  something  to  be  observed  as  one  would  observe  the 
thing  itself  for  which  the  picture  stands.  Observation  should  lead 
to  explanation  or  description.  There  should  be  not  only  impression 
on  the  mind  of  the  pupil  but  also  expression  on  his  part. 

"Visualization  is  the  formation  of  a  mental  picture  corresponding 
to  some  reality.  The  eye  is  only  the  physical  agency  through  which 
the  mind  is  impressed.  Much  has  been  properly  claimed  for  the 
educational  value  of  pictures.  They  may  stimulate  interest;  But  this 
amounts  to  little  unless  it  leads  to  effort.  Most  subjects  may  be  made 
clearer  and  more  vivid  by  a  graphic  or  pictorial  presentation,  but  the 
need  still  exists  of  testing  the  learner's  comprehension  and  fixing  the 
impression  in  the  mind. 

"The  approach  to  the  study  of  a  topic  through  the  aid  of  pictures 
should  be  the  same  as  a  laboratory  exercise  in  physics  and  biology. 
The  exercise  should  have  for  its  aim  the  teaching  of  a  certain  truth 
or  truths.  Particular  observations  should  be  made  by  the  pupil  and 
clearly  and  accurately  reported  by  him.  Some  conclusion  or  general- 
ization should  follow.  In  other  words,  visual  instruction  should  be 
reduced  to  a  pedagogical  method." 

The  common  method  of  using  lantern  slides  is  to  accompany 
such  pictures  with  an  explanatory  lecture.  The  lecture  method 
has  many  limitations.  Such  limitations  operate  in  its  use  in  the 
auditorium  as  potently  as  in  the  classroom  where  it  still  prevails 
to  some  degree  as  a  method  of  instruction.  » 

The  projection  of  motion  pictures  should  also  be  accompanied 
by  some  explanatory  discussion  depending  upon  the  character  of 
the  topic  under  illustration.  It  may  be  found  more  profitable  at 
times  to  discuss  the  pictures  immediately  before  or  after,  the 
film  is  shown  rather  than  during  the  projection. 

If  some  degree  of  correlation  between  the  assembly  exercises 
and  the  class  instruction  may  be  assumed,  the  illustrated  lecture 
in  the  auditorium  could  be  followed  up  in  the  class  work  by 
recitation  or  other  activities.  This  would  offset  to  a  degree  the 
passivity  of  the  lecture  method. 

Another  method  used  sometimes  in  classroom  work  may  also 
be  employed  in  the  auditorium  as  follows:  The  teacher  selects 


28  Means  and  Methods 

from  the  lists  of  slides  available  such  as  would  illustrate  the 
topics  she  wishes  to  present.  Each  child  in  a  given  group,  the 
number  depending  upon  the  number  of  topics,  is  assigned  a  topic 
and  is  held  responsible  for  a  clear  and  concise  presentation  of 
such  topic  in  connection  with  the  projection  of  the  pictures.  In 
preparing  such  short  talk  upon  the  particular  topic,  the  pupil  has 
to  consult  the  materials  available  in  his  textbooks,  in  the  reference 
books  in  his  class  or  school  library.  Such  exercise  has  a  value 
from  the  standpoint  of  expression,  initiative,  responsibility,  as 
well  as  from  the  viewpoint  of  control  of  subject  matter. 

Besides  their  use  for  instructional  purposes,  pictures  play  an 
important  part  in  fulfilling  other  functions  of  the  assembly 
exercises,  i.e.,  the  development  of  the  aesthetic  sense.  The 
methods  of  using  pictures  for  this  purpose  differ  materially  from 
the  methods  employed  in  instruction. 

The  aim  of  art  is  not  to  instruct  in  the  narrow  didactic  sense 
of  the  term.  Its  function  is  to  inspire,  to  give  joy  and  pleasure, 
to  enlarge  the  spiritual  experience  of  the  individual.  To  accom- 
plish this  the  picture  or  work  of  art  must  impart  to  the  individual 
something  of  the  spirit  that  led  to  its  creation.  It  must  be 
interpreted  emotionally. 

"Yet  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  a  'picture  lesson'  in  the  elementary 
school  devoted  to  bringing  out  a  few  facts  about  the  artist,  data  as 
to  where  the  picture  was  painted,  where  the  original  is  kept,  how  much 
it  is  worth,  and  numberless  other  bits  of  information — valuable,  no 
doubt,  in  a  way,  but  utterly  insignificant  in  comparison  with  the 
revelation  that  the  picture  has  in  store  for  one  who  can  understand 
and  appreciate. 

"Still  more  reprehensible  is  that  'analytic'  study  of  a  great  picture 
which  merely  attempts  to  enumerate  the  objects  represented.  The 
writer  has  heard  the  following  questions  asked  concerning  Millet's 
'Gleaners':  How  many  women  do  you  find  in  the  picture?  How  many 
horses?  What  else  do  you  see  in  the  picture?  etc.  In  a  language  book 
intended  for  use  in  the  fourth  grade,  the  following  questions  appear 
with  reference  to  the  same  picture:  'In  the  foreground  are  three 
peasant  women;  what  are  they  doing?  Describe  their  dress  and  tell 
how  they  carry  the  gathered  grain.  For  what  do  you  think  they  will 
use  the  grain  when  gathered?  How  will  it  be  stored?  For  whom  do 
you  think  "they  are  working?'  Most  of  these  questions  certainly  add 
nothing  to  one's  appreciation  of  Millet's  art,  and  as  ...far  as  useful 
information  is  concerned,  they  fall  far  below  the  standard  of  the 
teacher  who  used  this  picture  to  draw  a  lesson  on  the  superiority  of 
the  'self-binder'  of  our  Western  wheat  fields  over  the  primitive  har- 
vesting methods  of  the  European  peasantry!"* 


"*  Bagley's — The   Educative   Process,   p.    283. 


Lectures  29 

Professor  STRAYER  in  his  chapter  on  the  Lesson  for  Apprecia- 
tion* makes  certain  suggestions  for  the  guidance  of  the  teacher. 
They  are  in  general  as  follows : 

Do  not  try  to  teach  any  one  else  to  enjoy  that  which  you  do  not 
fully  appreciate  yourself.  The  fundamental  qualification  for  the 
teacher  is  power  to  appreciate.  She  must  enjoy  to  the  full  that  which 
she  hopes  to  make  appear  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  her  pupils. 

Knowledge  of  technique  may  either  help  or  hinder  one  in  his  actual 
power  of  appreciation.  We  must  remember  that  appreciation  is  in  a 
large  measure  a  matter  of  the  emotions  and  that  any  attempt  to  over- 
intellectualize  the  process  will  defeat  the  end  we  desire  to  secure. 

Very  frequently  for  work  of  this  kind  the  very  best  preparation  is 
found  in  placing  children  directly  in  contact  with  that  which  you  hope 
to  have  them  appreciate. 

Children  should  not  be  forced  to  give  expression  to  the  feelings 
awakened.  The  success  of  work  of  this  kind  may  be  judged  more 
safely  by  the  expression  on  the  faces  of  the  children  than  by  the 
words  you  may  persuade  them  to  use. 

In  a  lesson  of  this  type  the  teacher  does  the  best  work  when  she 
acts  as  interpreter.  It  is  by  voice,  by  gesture,  by  suggestion  and  by 
explanation, — in  all  by  providing  the  most  favorable  opportunity  pos- 
sible for  appreciation,  keeping  herself  as  much  as  possible  in  the 
background, — that  the  teacher  makes  provision  for  the  development  of 
this  power  by  children. 
References: 

McMurry,  F.  W. — The  World  Visualized— Underwood  &  Underwood, 

1,915. 

Head,  Mrs.  Henry  Stokes — How  to  Enjoy  Pictures. 
Haywood,   Frank   H. — The   Lesson   in   Appreciation — edited  by  W.   C. 
Bagley — New  York — Macmillan,  1915. 

2.    LECTURES 

The  presence  of  a  large  group  of  children  in  the  assembly  or 
auditorium  renders  unprofitable  the  employment  of  methods 
usually  followed  in  classroom  instruction  or  recitation.  Direct 
instruction  in  the  auditorium  period,  therefore,  takes  the  form 
of  "lectures." 

The  lecture  method  whether  used  in  classroom  or  auditorium 
work  has  certain  limitations.  It  emphasizes  the  "impression" 
aspect  of  the  learning  process  and  ordinarily  makes  no  provision 
for  expression  by  the  children.  To  a  large  extent  the  pupils  are 
passive  listeners.  Such  limitations,  however,  do  not  deprive  the 
lecture  method  of  all  value.  The  recognition  of  such  limitation 
simply  prescribes  that  the  lecture  method  should  not  be  used 
exclusively,  and  secondly  that  provision  be  made  for  expression 
in  some  form  on  the  part  of  the  children. 

*  Strayer's — Short  Course  in  The  Teaching  Process,  p.   178. 


30  Means  and  Methods 

A.      BY  TEACHERS  IN  CHARGE  OF  AUDITORIUM   ACTIVITIES 

Lectures  in  the  assembly  periods  may  take  the  form  of  talks 
by  the  teachers  in  charge.  Such  talks  may  deal  with  the  various 
subjects  in  the  curriculum,  particularly  literature,  geography, 
hygiene,  history,  science,  civics,  current  events,  industry,  music, 
art,  etc.  Whenever  possible  such  talks  should  be  illustrated  by 
pictures  or  by  experimental  demonstrations. 

In  the  preceding  section  mention  was  made  of  the  lecture  sets 
of  slides  prepared  by  the  Museum  of  Natural  History.  Each  set 
of  slides  is  accompanied  by  notes  giving  full  information  on  the 
particular  topic  to  be  illustrated.  With  the  aid  of  such  notes 
and  similar  material  it  is  easily  possible  to  prepare  the  lecture. 

B.    BY  TEACHERS  FROM  OTHER  DEPARTMENTS 

The  lecturers  should  mclude  not  only  the  auditorium  or 
assembly  teachers  but  also  teachers  from  other  departments  of 
the  school,  especially  those  engaged  in  the  special  activities  of 
the  shop,  the  kitchen,  the  science  laboratory,  the  music  room,  etc. 
In  this  way  all  the  various  activities  of  the  school  are  brought 
before  all  the  pupils.  The  experiences  of  one  group  of  pupils  are 
shared  in  a  way  with  the  rest  of  the  school.  Interest  is  aroused, 
curiosity  and  ambition  may  be  stimulated,  and  the  experience  of 
all  the  pupils  is  to  some  degree  widened  through  the  information 
imparted. 

c.     BY  PUPILS 

The  children  also  may  serve  as  lecturers.  An  individual  pupil 
or  a  group  of  pupils  can  often  give  most  interesting  talks  to  the 
whole  group.  Such  talks  may  be  informal  and  may  concern  the 
individual  experiences  of  the  particular  pupil,  experiences  which 
he  feels  may  be  of  interest  to  his  classmates  and  which  he,  there- 
fore, wishes  to  share  with  them.  Such  participation  will  be  of 
great  value  to  the  student  from  the  standpoint  of  expression, 
initiative,  etc. 

More  formal  talks  may  concern  the  school  work  (special  or 
academic)  of  the  individual  pupil  or  group.  For  instance,  a 
group  that  has  been  taken  on  an  excursion  to  make  some  observa- 
tions could  report  to  the  assembly  group  the  results  of  the  trip. 
Similarly  a  group  from  the  printing  shop  or  the  metal  shop  or 


Lectures  31 

the  science  room  could  present  to  the  assembly  particular  phases 
of  their  respective  activities.  Such  talks  could  be  accompanied 
by  demonstrations  or  experiments. 

D.      BY  OUTSIDERS 

Outside  speakers  also  may  be  obtained  without  difficulty.  It  is 
surprising  and  gratifying  to  note  with  what  readiness  outsiders 
in  the  various  fields  of  endeavor  accept  the  invitations  of  the 
schools  to  talk  to  the  pupils. 

Such  lectures  by  outsiders  are  of  value  for  several  reasons.  In 
the  first  place,  through  such  co-operation  it  is  often  possible  to 
secure  as  lecturers  individuals  who  are  experts  or  specialists  in 
their  respective  fields.  In  the  second  place,  it  puts  the  school  in 
touch  with  the  outside  world,  with  civic  or  public  events  and 
problems. 

While  it  is  impossible  to  give  in  detail  all  the  resources  in  this 
respect  for  any  particular  school,  the  following  list  shows  in 
general  the  source  of  outside  lecturers.  The  reader  is  also  re- 
ferred to  a  list  supplied  by  Mr.  EUGENE  B.  GARTLAN,  Principal  ot 
Public  School  42,  The  Bronx  (see  Appendix,  pages  105-6) : 

a.  The  Museum  of  Natural  History  has  frequently  sent  speakers  to 

different  schools  to  deliver  illustrated  lectures  on  topics  related 
to  natural  science  and  kindred  subjects.  Application  should  bq 
made  to  the  Director. 

b.  The  Museum  of  Art  also  has  several  lecturers  who  carry  on  this 

form  of  extension  work  in  the  schools. 

c.  The  School  Art  League  also  has  a  visiting  teacher  who  will  lecture 

in  the  schools  upon  application  of  the  principal  to  the  League 
offices,  215  W.  57th  Street,N.  Y.  C. 

d.  The  Board  of  Health  has  frequently  co-operated  in  the  past  with 

the  schools  by  supplying  speakers  on  topics  related  to  personal 
hygiene  or  public  health.  Application  for  such  speakers  may  be 
made  to  Dr.  Charles  Bolduan,  Bureau  of  Public  Health,  Depart- 
ment of  Health. 

e.  The  school  doctor  and  nurse  will  readily  co-operate. 

/.  Representatives  from  the  various  city  departments,  such  as  the 
Police,  Tenement  House,  Water  Supply,  etc.  The  Fire  Depart- 
ment will  be  glad  to  send  members  of  its  staff  to  the  schools  to 
lecture  on  fire  prevention.  Apply  to  the  Bureau  of  Fire  Pre- 
vention, Fire  Department. 

g.  Local  representatives,  such  as  Alderman,  Assemblyman,  State 
Senator,  Congressman. 

h.  Public  Service  Corporations,  such  as  the  Telephone  Co.,  Brooklyn 
Rapid  Transit,  etc. 

«.     Individuals  in  the  neighborhood. 


32  Means  and  Methods 

j.  The  American  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals, 
upon  application  to  its  Department  of  Humane  Education  and 
Extension,  will  furnish  a  lecturer  on  topics  relating  to  animal 
protection. 

E.     THE  QUIZ 

No  lecture  or  address  or  picture  should  be  given  without  a 
succeeding  rapid-fire  quiz  upon  its  important  points.  "What 
interested  you  most?"  "What  was  the  most  important  thing?" 
are  questions  essential  to  secure  that  practice  in  listening  and  in 
thinking  for  which  such  exercises  are  given. 

A  long  lesson  should  be  broken  by  such  questioning.  Some  of 
the  best  assembly  work  interpolates  this  questioning  every  few 
minutes.  To  avoid  the  waste  and  confusion  of  concert  answers, 
to  escape  the  narrowness  of  replying  only  in  volunteer  responses, 
it  is  a  good  plan  for  a  teacher  or  older  pupil  walking  about  the 
assembly  to  indicate  who  is  to  answer  the  question  as  it  is  asked. 
The  brief  summary  by  a  pupil  following  the  address  of  a  visitor 
is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  features  of  some  of  our  schools.  It 
interests,  often  amuses  and  always  instructs  the  one  who  has 
made  the  address. 

Whatever  the  method,  this  reaction  on  the  talk  should  always 
be  called  for.  The  talk  should  always  be  planned,  whether  by 
admonition  to  the  visitor  or  by  direction  to  the  member  of  the 
school  so  that  there  is  time  for  the  essential  completion  of  its 
purpose. 

3.     Music 

A.      AIMS  AND  VALUES 

The  chief  aim  of  the  assembly  exercises,  it  has  been  stated,-  is 
the  fulfillment  of  the  inspirational  and  recreative  functions  of 
education.  Such  exercises  purpose  to  instil  in  the  child  certain 
ideals  and  to  give  him  certain  tastes,  interests  and  prejudices 
which  will  control  or  modify  his  conduct.  In  such  ideals,  tastes 
and  predilections,  it  is  the  emotional  element  that  predominates 
and  is  most  essential. 

Music  is  one  of  the  most  effective  agencies  available  in  the 
assembly  for  fulfilling  the  functions  mentioned  above.  It  is  the 
expression  of  emotions.  Man's  experiences  from  grief  to  joy 
find  voice  in  it.  Many  of  our  ideals  as  products  of  race  experience 


Music  33 

find  expression  in  music  better  than  through  any  other  medium. 

It  inspires,  it  uplifts. 

"Music  by  its  very  intangible,  fleeting,  and  unmonopolized  character, 
is  especially  valuable  in  this  connection  when  properly  directed.  In 
its  very  nature  the  one  who  would  possess  it  must  give  it  away,  and 
the  more  he  gives  the  more  he  has.  It  is  an  ideal  example  of  the  fact 
that  only  that  which  one  shares  can  one  really  have.  Moreover,  by 
its  nature,  it  builds,  in  Keat's  words,  'a  bower  full  of  sweet  dreams 
and  health  and  quiet  breathing/  Music  teaches  that  the  satisfactions  of 
life  are  in  the  outlook  of  man,  in  his  spiritual  attainments,  not  in 
physical  possession.  Music  develops  the  imagination  and  immensely 
widens  the  experience  of  its  devotees.  He  who  would  perform  or 
even  listen  to  music  must  be  able  to  enter  into  the  soul  of  the  composer 
in  his  every  mood.  He  who  puts  time  and  effort  into  the  production 
of  music  has  taken  a  long  step  toward  the  emancipation  of  himself  from 
the  domination  of  things.  He  has  begun  to  realize  the  beauty,  power, 
and  never-dying  attributes  of  things  spiritual  and  eternal/'* 

The  teaching  of  music  in  the  school  aims  at  participation  and 
appreciation.  The  children  are  trained  to  sing,  to  play  and  to 
listen  appreciatively. 

B.      MEANS  AND  METHODS 

( 1 )     Participation 
(a)     Choral  Singing 

Choral  singing  forms  a  most  important  part  of  the  assembly 
exercises.  It  has  an  important  socializing  influence.  It  unifies 
the  group  participating.  People  who  sing  together  are  brought 
for  the  time  under  the  influence  of  one  impulse  and  one  thought. 
The  spirit  of  the  whole  group  can  find  expression  in  a  single 
result  in  no  other  art  so  well  as  in  singing.  So,  in  the  choral 
singing  of  the  assembly,  we  have  a  vital  force  for  developing  the 
social  consciousness,  the  school  spirit. 

Choral  singing  enters  into  the  assembly  work  not  only  as  an 
end  in  itself,  but  as  a  part  of  all  the  important  school  functions, — 
special  days,  festivals  and  celebrations.  To  such  special  exercises 
music  contributes  a  great  share.  Such  participation  supplies  to 
the  work  a  social  motive  which  establishes  in  the  children  a 
feeling  of  responsibility,  a  spirit  of  team  work  on  a  large  scale. 
"The  feeling  of  doing  something  toward  a  large  community  end 
stirs  them  deeply  at  times  and  brings  about  in  the  chorus  singing 
emotional  experiences  impossible  in  small  groups  working  for 
slighter  ends.  The  child  can  hardly  have  a  more  useful  experience 
than  that  of  throwing  himself,  body  and  soul,  at  some  personal 

*  Peter  W.  DyKema — Addresses  and  Proceeding  of  the  National  Education 
Association,  1914 — p.  630. 


34  Means  and  Methods 

cost  of  strength  and  patience  into  an  undertaking  in  which  the 
spiritual  ideals  of  the  community  are  expressed,  and  his  individual 
skill  brought  to  its  highest  point — the  whole  inspired  with  a 
common  feeling  of  value  and  a  common  joy  in  the  result."  Such 
inspiration  motivates  the  formal  work  in  the  classroom  instruc- 
tion from  which  the  assembly  choral  singing  should  be  an  out- 
growth. 

In  addition  to  the  school  singing  by  the  entire  assembly,  specific 
class  groups  should  contribute  to  the  assembly  exercises  such 
songs  as  are  adapted  to  the  capacity  of  the  particular  groups. 
In  one  school  each  class  of  boys  of  the  7th  and  8th  years  prepared 
one  of  Stephen  Foster's  songs  which  it  presented  at  school  exer- 
cises devoted  to  the  memory  of  this  songwriter. 

Frequently  special  exercises  in  music  in  the  assembly  may  take 
the  form  of  contributions  by  the  special  groups  that  have  de- 
veloped in  the  school,  glee  clubs,  choral  societies,  etc.  Such  socie-. 
ties  in  the  schools  give  the  children  who  are  especially  talented 
or  interested  an  opportunity  to  devote  extra  time  to  this  subject. 
Such  exercises  are  valuable  not  only  because  they  tend  to  promote 
the  feeling  of  school  unity,  but  also  because  they  bring  out  the 
social  possibilities  of  music  work  and  its  value  and  necessity  in 
the  life  of  the  school  community. 

The  choice  of  songs  for  choral  work  in  the  assembly  is  a 
matter  of  importance.  In  the  songs  beautiful  melody  should  be 
combined  with  expressive  words  and  these  should  be  adapted  to 
the  nature,  age  and  capacity  of  the  pupils.  The  selections  should 
include  national,  patriotic  and  representative  folk  songs.  The 
syllabus  gives  a  list  of  folk  songs  which  are  suitable  for  the 
various  primary  grades  from  1A  to  4B. 

(b)     Instrumental  Music 

Classes  in  instrumental  music  have  been  organized  and  are 
conducted  after  regular  school  hours  by  private  instructors  under 
the  general  supervision  of  the  Director  of  Music.  In  addition  to 
this,  in  many  of  the  schools  the  students  have  organized  orches- 
tras. They  contribute  largely  to  the  value  of  the  assembly. 

(2)     Appreciation 
The  second  aim  is  to  develop  an  appreciation  of  good  music. 


Music  35 

"Music  like  literature  is  something  to  be  appreciated  and  appreciation 
in  both  cases  may  involve  a  certain  mastery  of  technique.  But  what 
seems  to  be  needed  in  music  is  not  so  exclusively  training  in  the 
technique  of  singing  as  is  now  the  case;  some  of  this  is  probably 
essential  to  musical  appreciation,  just  as  some  acquaintance  with  the 
technique  of  style  is  essential  to  literary  appreciation,  but  to  attempt 
to  develop  an  appreciation  for  the  best  music  through  the  type  of 
instruction  common  in  the  schools  is  about  as  futile  as  to  attempt  to 
cultivate  literary  appreciation  through  drill  courses  in  composition 
alone.  What  is  needed  in  both  cases  is  (to  speak  in  a  quasi  figurative 
fashion)  a  training  of  the  receptive  capacities  rather  than  an  exclusive 
training  of  the  expressive  capacities.  The  child  should  hear  the  best 
music  over  and  over  again  until  it  has  sunk  into  his  soul,  and  fortified 
him  forever  against  the  seductive  wiles  of  the  tin-pot  jingles  and  the 
sentimental  songs  of  the  music  halls."* 

Current  methods  of  teaching  music,  it  is  claimed,  have  failed 
to  give  a  sufficient  place  to  "appreciation."  They  have  placed 
the  emphasis  on  technique.  This  is  true  not  only  of  methods 
in  music  but  also  of  methods  of  dealing  in  school  with  the  other 
arts,  as  painting  and  literature.  It  is  only  in  recent  years  that 
the  type  of  lesson  aiming  at  appreciation  has  been  discriminated 
from  the  types  of  lesson  which  aims  at  the  formation  of  habits 
or  the  acquisition  of  facts,  etc.  Proper  methods  of  utilizing 
material  in  which  the  emotional  element  is  the  principal  element 
are  in  demand.  You  may  find  a  fine  field  for  your  talent  here. 
The  attempt  to  carry  over  to  the  field  of  art  the  methods  used 
in  didactic  presentation  has  not  been  successful  in  its  results. 

Just  how  great  a  control  over  technique  is  essential  for  apprecia- 
tion seems  to  be  a  mooted  point.  At  all  events  the  teaching  of 
technique  should  take  care  not  to  kill  the  spirit  of  music. 
Whether  a  song  is  learned  by  rote  or  by  note,  the  essential  aim 
should  be  to  keep  alive  the  singing  spirit  so  that  the  children 
will  always  find  a  joy  in  music. 

The  assembly  period  offers  many  opportunities  for  the  develop- 
ment of  appreciation  in  music.  In  the  first  place  there  are  the 
choral  singing  and  other  forms  of  participation  already  discussed. 
The  choral  singing  and  the  playing  are  of  value  not  only  for  the 
pleasure  and  profit  derived  from  actual  participation,  but  also 
for  the  effect  on  appreciation.  Such  participation, — such  self 
activity  is  an  essential  basis  of  appreciation  of  higher  forms  of 
music. 


*  Educational   Values — Bagley,   p.   171. 


36  Means  and  Methods 

(a)     Use  of  Phonographs,  etc. 

In  the  second  place  there  is  the  use  of  the  phonograph  or  other 
instruments  which  are  now  found  in  most  school  auditoriums. 
Through  the  phonograph  it  is  possible  for  the  children  to  hear 
reproductions  of  most  of  the  classical  selections  or  compositions. 
The  range  of  phonographic  material  is  so  great  that  almost  every 
type  of  musical  production  is  available.  Folk  songs,  cantatas, 
operas,  oratorios,  symphonies,  and  other  instrumental  composi- 
tions all  offer  selections  with  which  the  pupil  may  become  familiar 
and  through  which  his  musical  taste  may  be  developed. 

Necessarily  the  phonographic  material  must  be  selected  with 
as  great  care  as  the  material  for  other  activities.  It  must  be 
music  worth  listening  to,  and  it  must  give  pleasure  to  the  pupils. 
In  the  second  place,  such  material  must  be  used  properly.  The 
aim  should  be  more  than  entertainment.  Endeavor  must  be  made 
to  obtain  a  thoughtful  attitude  upon  the  part  of  the  children 
toward  such  exercises.  They  must  be  brought  to  realize  that 
listening  involves  some  effort  on  their  part.  It  is  not  so  simple 
a  matter  as  may  be  supposed  to  teach  the  pupils  to  listen. 

While  the  greater  part  of  the  time  should  be  devoted  to  music 
itself,  a  great  deal  of  general  information  about  musical  matters 
could  be  given  the  children  through  talks  by  the  music  teacher. 
The  history  of  music,  the  biographies  of  famous  composers,  etc., 
will  yield  material  of  great  inteVest. 

(&)     Recitals 

Another  means  of  developing  musical  taste  in  the  children 
is  the  opportunity  to  hear  good  music  afforded  to  children  by 
recitals. 

First  there  are  the  artists'  recitals.  In  the  Parker  School  in 
Chicago  it  is  the  practice  to  hold  recitals  from  time  to  time  at 
which  prominent  artists  appear  before  the  school  assembly.  The 
cost  is  borne  by  the  parents.  The  programme  is  determined  prior 
to  the  occasion  and  copies  are  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  pupils. 
This  makes  possible  some  preparation  in  the  classroom  upon  the 
part  of  children.  Such  preparation  may  take  the  form  of  class 
discussions  of  themes,  form,  etc.,  or  it  may  consist  chiefly  in 
playing  over  the  melodies  they  are  to  hear,  in  telling  stories  of 
the  composer,  etc.  Frequently  during  the  recitals  short  explana- 


Bible  Reading  37 

tions  of  the  particular  number  about  to  be  heard  are  offered 
by  the  artist,  etc. 

Another  form  of  preparation  is  the  distribution  of  music 
bulletins  prior  to  the  recital.  Such  bulletins  contain  analytical 
notes  of  the  program  and  brief  biographical  and  historical  data 
relating  to  the  composers.  These  bulletins,  if  preserved  by  the 
children,  would  form  a  text  in  music  appreciation. 

There  is  no  reason  why  such  a  plan  should  not  be  feasible  in 
New  York.  The  readiness  with  which  outsiders  respond  to 
invitations  to  visit  the  school  and  address  the  assembled  children 
has  been  noted.  Undoubtedly,  the  same  readiness  to  volunteer 
will  be  met  in  the  case  of  musical  artists. 

In  the  second  place  there  are  the  children's  recitals.  In  every 
school  there  are  numbers  of  children  who  have  some  degree  of 
musical  talent  and  who  •  are  receiving  special  instruction  and 
training.  There  are  the  school  orchestras  and  glee  clubs  already 
mentioned.  From  among  such  children  many  volunteers  may 
readily  be  obtained  for  such  recitals.  These  musical  entertain- 
ments furnish  an  outlet  for  the  musical  studies  of  the  children, 
and  also  a  potent  motive  for  their  work. 

References: 

Faulkner,  Anne  Shaw — What  We  Hear  In  Music — A  Laboratory  Course 
of  Study  in  Music  History  and  Appreciation—-€ontains  a  very 
comprehensive  bibliography.  Camden,  N.  J—  Victor  Talking  Ma- 
chine Co. 

Knobbe,  Gustav — How  to  Appreciate  Music — New  York — Moffat  Yard 
&  Co.,  1906. 

Krehbiel,  Henry  E. — How  to  Listen  to  Music — New  York — Charles 
Scribner's  Sons. 

4.     BIBLE  READING 

The  following  list  prepared  in  Public  School  64,  Manhattan, 
for  use  in  its  auditorium  periods,  is  here  given  through  the 
courtesy  of  the  Principal,  WILLIAM  E.  GRADY  : 

A.      LIST  OF  BIBLICAL  SELECTIONS 

Genesis      Ch.  I.   II,  III  The  Creation  and  Fall 

IV  Cain  and  Abel 

VII  The  Flood 

VIII  The  Flight  of  the  Dove 

IX  The  Rainbow 

XI  The  Tower  of  Babel 

XIX  Lot's     \Vife      and     Destruction     of 

Sodom  and  Gomorrah 


38 


Means  and  Methods 


Genesis     Ch.  XXII 

"     XXVIII 
"     XXXVII 


Exodus 


Leviticus 
« 

Numbers 

Joshua 

Judges 


Ruth 
Samuel  1 


Kings  1 


Esther 
Job 


II 

III 

V 

VII 

X 

XII,  21-28 

XIV 

XV,  1-20 

XVI,  9-15 

XVII,  1-7 

XIX  (in  parts) 
XX,   1-18 
XXIV,  9-18 

XXXI,  12-18 

XXXII,  1-8     1 
XXXII,    15-20  f 
XXXIV,  1-10   I 
XXXIV,  29-35  ( 
XVI 

XXIII 
XXI 
X,  1-14 
XIV 
XV 
XVI,  1-20 

XVI,  21-31 
I 

XVII 
XVIII 
*XIX,   1-10 
XIX,  11-18 
III 

X,  1-13 

XVII,  1-16 
II,  1-11 

V 
IX 

I 

XXVIII 


"     XXXVIII 
"     XXXIX 

The  Psalms— 1,  8,  19,  23,  39,  42, 
67,   92,   95,   96,   97,    100,    103, 
104,  107,  121,  137,  144,  150. 
Proverbs,  parts  of  3,  10,  13,  15, 

22,  27,  28. 
Ecclesiastes  Ch.  I 

"  IX 
"  XI 
"  XII 


Abraham  and  Isaac 

Bethel 

Story  of  Joseph 

Birth  of  Moses 

Burning  Bush 

Bricks  without  Straw 

Moses'  Rod 

Plague  of  Locusts 

Passover 

Flight  Through  Red  Sea 

Song  of  Moses 

Rain  of  Manna 

Moses   Smites  the   Rock  and  Water 

Flows 

Giving  the  Law  of  Sinai 
The  Ten  Commandments 
Tables  of  Stone 
Sabbath 

The  Golden  Calf 

The  Tables  are  Renewed 

The  Scapegoat 

Hebrew  Holidays 

The  Fiery  Serpent 

The  Sun  and  Moon  Stand  Still 

The  Story  of  the  Lion's  Carcass 

The  Burning  of  the  Fields 

The  Downfall  of   Samson 

Blindness  and  Death 

Ruth  and  Naomi 

David  and  Goliath 

Jonathan's  Love  for  David 

Saul's  Attempt   on  David's  Life 

The  Stratagem  of  the  Bolster 

Solomon's  Judgment  Concerning  the 

Two  Mothers  and  the  Child 
The  Queen  of  Sheba 
Elijah  and  the  Ravens 
Elijah  is  Taken  Up  Into  Heaven 
Naaman's  Leprosy 
Festival  of  Purim  Established 
Life  of  Job 
"The    Fear    of    the    Lord,    That    is 

Wisdom" 

The  Wisdom  of  God 
God's    Power    Illustrated 


"The  Preacher  Declareth  the  Vanity 

of  all  Human  Things" 
"Wisdom  is  Better  than  Strength" 
An  Exhortation  to  Works  of  Charity 
"The  Whole  Duty  of  Man" 


Declamations,  Oral  Readings,  Recitations 


39 


Isaiah 


Daniel 


Ch.  II 

"    XI 


XXIV 

III,  19-30 

V 

VI 


New 

St.  Matthew  "  VI 

"  VII.  1-12 

"  XIII 

"  XXV,  14-30 

St.  Luke         "  XV,    11-32 

"  X,  33 

Acts  "  V,  1-11 

Corinthians  1  "  XIII 


James 


XV 
III 

IV 


Beat  the  swords   into   Ploughshares 
"The    Wolf    Shall    Dwell    with    the 

Lamb" 
God's  Judgment  upon  the  Land  for 

its  Iniquities 
The  Fiery   Furnace 
The  Handwriting  on  the  Wall 
Daniel  Cast  into  the  Lion's  Den 

Testament 

The  Lillies  of  the  Field 

The  Golden   Rule 

The  bower 

The  Story  of  the  Talents 

The  Prodigal  Son 

Good  Samaritan 

Ananias  and  Sapphira 

Charity 

"Death  is  Swallowed  up  in  Victory" 

Exhortations    to    Bridle   the   Tongue 

"Speak  Not  Evil  of  Another" 


5.    DECLAMATIONS,  ORAL  READING,  RECITATIONS,  ETC. 
A.     AIMS  AND  VALUES 

It  has  generally  been  held  that  the  chief  values  of  the  recitation 
or  declamation  are  the  development  in  the  pupil  of  self-confi- 
dence, self-control,  earnestness,%  the  improvement  of  his  voice 
and  expression,  etc.  To  these  values  are  to  be  added  others  such 
as  the  desire  to  entertain  and  the  inculcation  of  an  appreciation 
of  good  literature. 

Another  important  effect  is  the  influence  which  such  recitation 
or  declamation  before  an  audience  has  upon  the  oral  reading.  A 
most  potent  factor  in  the  lack  of  success  in  oral  reading  is  the 
lack  of  motive  which  characterizes  most  reading  lessons.  The 
child  reads  from  a  book  of  which  every  one  has  a  copy.  He  is  not 
telling  or  imparting  any  thought  which  is  not  before  the  other 
children  in  printed  form.  The  situation  does  not  call  for  any 
particular  care  as  to  expression  or  interest. 

Recitation  or  reading  before  the  group  during  the  assembly 
period  makes  the  child  realize  the  necessity  for  clear  enunciation 
and  phrasing.  He  must  make  every  one  hear  him.  He  must 
read  clearly  in  order  that  every  one  will  understand  what  he  is 
presenting.  In  order  to  read  clearly  the  reader  must  understand 
the  thought.  The  assembly  recitations,  declamations  and  oral 
readings  thus  have  an  important  influence  in  motivating  the  class- 


40  Means  and  Methods 

room  reading  work  provided  the  director  is  alive  to  the  aims  of 
the  exercise. 

B.       MATERIAL 

The  material  for  such  exercises  will  be  taken  for  the  larger 
part  from  the  literature  of  the  grades.  This  it  is  assumed 
possesses  real  literary  worth,  and  power  of  appeal  to  children's 
interests. 

First,  there  are  the  selections  which  are  prescribed  as  memory 
gems.  Second,  there  is  the  regular  work  in  literature.  The 
children  of  a  given  grade  having  experienced  keen  enjoyment  in 
their  oral  reading  or  literature  work  may  wish  to  share  such 
pleasure  with  the  rest  of  the  school.  An  assembly  program  is 
arranged,  the  poems  are  assigned  to  different  pupils  for  reading 
or  recitation  and  the  grade  or  class  contributes  its  offering  to  the 
assembly  exercises.  Third,  sometimes  the  program  may  center 
about  an  author  in  which  the  class  is  interested,  as  Stevenson  or 
Burns.  Such  program  consisting  of  selections  from  his  work 
would  be  a  fitting  commemoration  of  the  birthday  of  the  author. 

Other  programs  may  be  built  around  other  centers.  For 
instance,  a  class  learning  Paul  Revere's  Ride  may  extend  their 
literary  interest  to  include  other  famous  rides — "Sheridan's  Ride," 
"The  Ride  from  Ghent  to  Aix,"  "John  Gilpin's  Ride,"  etc. 
These  may  be  presented  to  the  assembly.  The  poems  of  the  Civil 
War  or  other  periods  of  the  nation's  history  may  also  form  a 
center  for  such  an  exercise. 

As  an  essential  of  assemblies  is  interest,  the  danger  of  a 
too  liberal  use  of  matter  already  familiar  is  apparent.  But  as  a 
normal  person  enjoys  finding  and  presenting  something  good  and 
new  the  assembly  serves  as  a  promotion  of  that  instinct. 

C.       BIBLIOGRAPHY 

*BALDWIN,  JAMES— Harper's  School  Speaker 
*BELLAMY,   B.   W. )        ~         0  ." ,.    . 

GOODWIN,  M.  W.  j    ~~ Open  Sesame— 3  volumes 
*CARRINGTON,  H.  B. — Columbian  Selections 

BR^GEMAN     T     C  (     — Three  Minute  Declamations  for  College  Men 
*DAVIS,  H.  C.,  ed.— Three  Minute  Readings 
*ESPENSHADE,  A.  H. — Forensic  Declamations 
*EVARTS,  K.  J. — Speaking  Voice 

*  Books  starred  may  be  obtained  from  the  Library  Bureau  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Education. 


Declamations,  Oral  Readings,  Recitations  41 

*EVARTS,  K.  J.  —  Vocal  Expression 

*FOWLE,  W.  B.  —  Familiar  Dialogues  and  Popular  Discussions  for  Exhibi- 

tion in  Schools  and  Academies 
*FOWLE,  W.  B.  —  Hundred  Dialogues 

Selections 


*GARRETT,  PHINEAS,  ed.  —  Speakers'  Garland  —  9  volumes 

*HYDE,  W.  D.—  School  Speaker  and  Reader 

*LAWRENCE,  E.  G.  —  Lawrence  Reader  and  Speaker 

*LE  Row,  C.  B.  —  Pieces  for  Every  Occasion 

*O'NEiLL,  A.  T.  L.  —  Recitations  for  Assembly  and  Classroom 

*SCHAUFFLER,  R.  H.,  ed.  —  Christmas,  Its  Origin,  Celebration,  and  Signifi- 

cance as  Related  in  Prose  and  Verse 
*SHURTER,  E.  D.  —  Public  Speaking;  A  Treatise  on  Delivery  with  Selec- 

tions for  Declaiming 

*  STEVENSON,  B.  E.  and  E.  B.,  Days  and  Deeds. 
STEVENSON,  AUGUSTA  —  Children's  Classics  in  Dramatic  Form  —  Books  I, 

II,    III,   IV,   V—  Boston,   Houghton,   Mifflin   Co.,   1908.      (For  oral 

reading  or   dramatic  presentation.) 
GRANGER,    EDITH  —  An    Index    to    Poetry    and    Recitations  —  A    Practical 

Reference  Manual—  Chicago,  A.  C.  McClurg  &  Co.,  1904. 

(The  Index  includes  over  30,000  titles  from  369  books,  arranged  by 
titles,  first  lines,  etc.  There  is  also  included  a  list  of  poems  and 
recitations  for  special  days.) 

MACCLINTOCK,  PORTER  L.  —  Literature  in  The  Elementary  Schools 
*ARNOLD,  SARAH  LOUISE  —  Reading  —  How  To  Teach  It  —  New  York,  Silver, 

Burdett  &  Co. 

(Contains  "A  List  of  Poems  Suitable  for  Use  in  the  School  Room, 

Ch.  XIII.) 
ALLEN,  EZRA  —  Pedagogy  of  Myth  in  The  Grades  —  Pedagogical  Seminary, 

VIII,  No.  2,  June  1901. 

(A  study  of  values  with  lists  and  references.) 
ATHERTON,   LEWIS  —  Literary   Selections    Most   Frequently   Memorized    in 

The  Elementary  School—  Elementary  School  Teacher,  XIV,  No.  5, 

January  1914. 
BAKER,    EMILIE    KIPP  —  Cross    Reference    Classification    on    Mythology  — 

Underwood  &  Underwood,  1914. 

(Annotations  upon  211   slides  or  stereographs  which  may  be  used 

to  illustrate  mythical  and  legendary  stories.) 
BOBBITT,  J.    F.,    BOYCE,   A.    C.,    &   PERKINS,   M.    L.—  Literature    in    The 

Elementary  Curriculum  —  Elementary  School  Teacher,  XIV,  No.  4, 

December  1913. 
CHARTERS,     W.     W.  —  Cross     Reference     Classification     on    ^Literature  — 

(Similar  to   Baker  above,  but  contains   a  longer   list.) 
COLBY,  J.  ROSE—  Literature  and  Life  in  School—  Houghton,  Mifflin   Co., 

1906. 

(A  good  statement  of  the  social  value  of  literature.    The  selections 
recommended  are  in  part  too  mature  and  too  largely  British.) 
CORSON,   HIRAM  —  The  Aims   of    Literary   Study  —  Macmillan,    1910. 

(The  best  expression  of   the  modern   point  of  view.) 
Cox,   JOHN    H.  —  Literature   in   The    Common    Schools  —  Little,    Brown    & 

Co.,  1908. 

(An  excellent  study  of  literary  values  in  general  and  of  selections 
for  each  grade  in  particular.) 


*  Books  starred  may  be  obtained  from  the  Library  Bureau  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Education. 


42  Means  and  Methods 

Hosic,  JAMES  FLEMING — The  Elementary  Course  in  English :  A  Syllabus 
for  Teachers — The  University  of   Chicago  Press,  1911. 
(An  analysis  of  values,   followed  by  selected  and   annotated  lists 
and  a  key  to   the  sources;  has  been   found  to   represent   the 
concensus  and  may  be  followed  both  in  selection  and  in  grading.) 
LOWE,  ORTON — Literature  for  Children — Macmillan,  1914. 

(Especially   valuable   in   directing  the   general   reading   of   pupils; 

contains  a  good  selection  of  poems.) 

McMuRRY,    CHARLES — Special    Method    in    Primary    Reading    and    Oral 
Work  with   Stories— Macmillan,   1903. 

(Five  of  the  eight  chapters  are  devoted  to  a  discussion  of  the 
stories.  Numerous  selections  for  each  of  the  first  three  grades 
are  evaluated.) 

ROGERS,  HELEN  H.,  and  PEET,  HARRIET  E.    Course  of  Study  in  Reading 

and  Literature  for  the  Practice  Department,  State  Normal  School, 

Salem,  Mass. 

(Definite  aims  for  the  various  years  are  suggested.) 
SCUDDER,    HORACE   E. — The    Place    for   Literature    in    School — Houghton, 

Mifflin  Co.,   Riverside  Series  No.   37. 

(Literature  is  pronounced  the  chief  means  of  feeding  the  life  of 
the  spirit  and  of  uniting  all  in  common  ideals  and  sympathies.) 

Suggested  Course  of  Study  in  General  Reading  for  The  First  Six 
Grades  of  Rural  Schools— Bulletin  No.  14,  1912,  Massachusetts 
Board  of  Education,  Boston,  Mass. 

(Prepared  by  a   Committee  of  Teac'hers   from  the   State   Normal 

Schools.) 

A  list  of  books  on  literature,  selections  for  recitations,  etc.,  is  in- 
cluded in  the  Department  of  Education  list  of  textbooks, 
authorized  for  use  in  the  public  elementary  sc'hools  of  the  city 
under  "Readers"  and  under  "Supplementary  Reading." 

6.     STORY  TKLLING 
A.    AIMS  AND  VALUES 

Story  telling  is  of  particular  value  as  a  means  of  fulfilling  the 
inspirational  and  recreative  functions  of  auditorium  activities. 
While  it  may  have  certain  values  for  instruction  its  chief  aim  is 
"to  give  joy  and  through  joy  to  stir  and  feed  the  life  of  the  spirit." 
It  is  first  and  foremost  an  art  of  entertainment  and  as  such  its 
primary  function  is  to  give  pleasure. 

Miss  SARA  CONE  BRYANT,  in  her  book,  "How  to  Tell  Stories  10 
Children,"  which  discusses  the  subject  in  full,  enumerates  certain 
values.  "One  result  obtainable,"  she  states,  "is  the  relaxation  of 
the  tense  schoolroom  atmosphere,  valuable  for  its  refreshing, 
recreative  power."  A  second  is  the  ease  with  which  happy  rela- 
tions between  teacher  and  children  are  established  through  story 
telling.  Story  telling  also  is  one  of  the  most  effective  methods 
of  forming  in  the  children  the  habit  of  fixed  attention. 


Story  Telling  43 

The  more  specific  values  are  more  or  less  peculiar  to  the 
particular  kind  of  story  of  which  there  are  four  chief  types. 

The  Fairy  Story.  The  distinctive  value  of  the  fairy  story  lies 
in  its  power  of  conveying  moral  truth  and  types  of  common 
experience  through  the  media  of  images.  The  fairy  tale  presents 
in  poetic  form  universal  ethical  truths  which  are  assimilated 
unconsciously  and  which  form  the  sources  of  the  moral  judg- 
ments later  on.  Accordingly  in  ethical  training,  in  the  lower 
grades  particularly,  the  fairy,  story  is  of  great  value. 

Another  important  value  of  the  fairy  story  comes  from  its 
service  in  preparing  for  full  appreciation  of  adult  literature. 
"Leaving  out  the  fairy  element  in  literary  culture  is  a  loss  on 
the  same  lines  as  the  omission  of  the  Bible  or  of  Shakespeare." 

The  Nonsense  Tale.  Under  this  type  may  be  classed  all  the 
funny  tales  of  childhood,  cumulative  stories,  etc.  The  value  of 
such  tales  is  to  be  found  in  the  element  of  humor  that  they 
possess.  As  Miss  BRYANT  so  well  puts  it: 

"It  does  us  all  good  to  laugh  if  there  is  no  sneer  nor  smirch  in  the 
laugh ;  fun  sets  the  blood  flowing  more  freely  in  the  veins,  and  loosens 
the  strained  cords  of  feeling  and  thought;  the  delicious  shock  of 
surprise  at  every  'funny  spot'  is  a  kind  of  electric  treatment  for  the 
nerves.  But  it  especially  does  us  good  to  laugh  when  we  are  children. 
Every  little  body  is  released  from  the  unconscious  control  school  im- 
poses upon  it  and  huddles  into  restful  comfort  or  responds  gayly  to 
the  joke." 

"The  wisdom  which  lies  behind  true  humor  is  found  in  the  nonsense 
tale  of  infancy  as  truly  as  in  mature  humor,  but  in  its  own  kind  and 
degree.  'Just  for  fun'  is  the  first  reason  for  the  humorous  story; 
the  wisdom  in  the  fun  is  the  second." 

The  Nature  Story.  The  nature  story  is  extensively  used  to 
arouse  interest  in  animal  and  plant  life.  For  such  purpose, 
however,  the  teacher  is  limited  in  selection  of  material  to  such 
stories  as  are  of  unquestioned  scientific  accuracy. 

The  use  of  the  nature  story  simply  as  a  story  widens  extensively 
the  material  available.  Considerations  of  scientific  validity  do 
not  enter  here.  The  value  of  the  story  lies  in  its  broadening 
influence  and  in  the  cultivation  of  a  sympathetic  attitude  toward 
nature. 

Historical  Story.  The  historical  story  is  of  particular  value 
in  stimulating  patriotism. 

"We  tell  these  stories,  both  to  bring  the  great  past  into  its  due  rela- 
tion with  the  living  present,  and  to  arouse  that  generous  admiration 


\ 


44  Means  and  Methods 

and  desire  for  emulation  which  is  the  source  of  so  much  inspiration  in 
childhood.  When  these  stories  are  tales  of  the  doings  and  happenings 
of  our  own  heroes,  the  strong  men  and  women  whose  lives  are  a  part 
of  our  own  country's  history,  they  serve  the  double  demands  of  hero- 
worship  and  patriotism.  Stories  of  wise  and  honest  statesmanship,  of 
struggle  with  pioneer  conditions,  of  generous  love  and  sacrifice,  and — 
in  some  measure — of  physical  courage,  form  a  subtile  and  powerful 
influence  for  pride  in  one's  people,  the  intimate  sense  of  kinship  with 
one's  own  nation,  and  the  desire  to  serve  it  in  one's  own  time/'* 

B.      SELECTION  OF  MATERIAL 

The  following  suggestions  extracted  from  Miss  MARIE  L. 
SHEDLOCK'S  book,  "The  Art  of  The  Story  Teller,"  indicate  ele- 
ments to  avoid  in  the  choice  of  material : 

1.  Stories  dealing  with  analysis  of  motive  and  feeling. 

2.  Stories  dealing  too  much  with  sarcasm  and  satire. 

3.  Stories   of    a   sentimental   character. 

4.  Stories  containing  strong  sensational  episodes. 

5.  Stqries    presenting    matter    quite    outside    the    plane    of    a    child's 

interests  unless  they  are  wrapped  in  mystery. 

6.  Stories  which  appeal  to  fear  or  priggishness. 

7.  Stories  of  exaggerated  or  coarse  fun. 

8.  Stories  of  infant  piety  and  deathbed  scenes. 

9.  Stories  containing  a  mixture  of  fairy  tale  and  science. 

Positive  suggestions  as  to  the  selection  of  stories  are  given  by 
Miss  BRYANT  in  her  book,  to  which  reference  has  already  been 
made.  Miss  BRYANT  writes : 

"For  these  reasons  let  me  urge  you,  when  you  are  looking  for 
stories  to  tell  little  children,  to  apply  this  threefold  test  as  a  kind  of 
touchstone  to  the  quality  or  fitness:  Are  they  full  of  action,  in  close 
natural  sequence?  Are  their  images  simple  without  being  humdrum? 
Are  they  repetitive?  The  last  quality  is  not  an  absolute  requisite; 
but  it  is  at  least  very  often  an  attribute  of  a  good  child-story." 

Types  of  Story  Suggested  for  Certain  Grades 

For  Kindergarten  and  Grade  I: 

Little  Rhymed  Stories 

(including  the  best  of  the  nursery  rhymes  and  the  more  poetic 
fragments  of  Mother  Goose) 

Stories  with  Rhyme  in  Parts 

Nature  Stories 

(in  which  the  element  of  personification  is  strong) 

Nonsense  Tales 

Wonder  Tales 
For  Grades  II  and  HI: 

Nonsense  Tales 

Wonder  Tales 

Fairy  and  Folk  Tales 

Fables 

Legends 


'How  to  Tell  Stories  to  Children,"  by  Sara  Cone  Bryant,  p.  27. 


Story  Telling  45 

Nature   Stories 

(especially  stories  of  animals) 
For  Grades  IV  and  V : 
Folk  Tales 
Fables 

Myths   and   Allegories 
Developed  Animal  Stories 
Legends  :  Historic  and  Heroic 
Historical  Stories 
Humorous  Adventure  Stories 
"True   Stories" 

C.      SUGGESTIONS  AS  TO  MKTUOD 

It  is  impossible  for  this  bulletin  to  go  into  the  details  of  the 
technique  of  story  telling.  Certain  suggestions  in  outline  form 
are  offered  in  the  following:* 

(1)  Feel  your  story.     A  genuine  appreciation  of  the   story   is  most 

essential. 

(2)  Know  your  story.     Memorizing  is  not  meant  necessarily. 

(3)  Tell   it  simply,   directly,   dramatically,   with   zest. 

(a)  Simplicity  of  manner  and  of  matter  are  both  essential  to 

the  right  appeal  to  children.  Simplicity  of  manner  here 
means  without  affectation,  or  pretense,  without  posing. 
Do  not  talk  down  to  the  children.  Simplicity  of  matter 
means  the  choice  and  use  of  short  familiar  vivid  words 
and  simple  images. 

(b)  To  tell  a  story  directly  means  to  use  brevity,  close  logical 

sequence,  exclusion  of  foreign  matter,  unhesitant  speech. 

(c)  The  dramatic  quality  of  story  telling  depends  closely  upon 

the  clearness  and  power  with  which  the  story  teller 
visualizes  the  events  and  the  characters  he  describes. 

(d)  To  tell  a  story  with  zest  requires  interest  and  enjoyment 

upon  the  part  of  the  story  teller. 

Certain  dangers  and  difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  story 
telling  are  pointed  out  by  Miss  SHEDLOCK: 

Difficulties  and  Dangers: 

1.  There  is  the  danger  of  side  issues. 

2.  Altering  the  story  to  suit  special  occasions  is  done  sometimes 

from  extreme  conscientiousness. 

3.  The  danger  of  introducing  unfamiliar  words. 

4.  The  danger  of  claiming  co-operation  of  the  class  by  means  of 

questions. 

5.  Difficulty  of  gauging  the  effect  of  a  story  upon  the  audience 

rises   from  lack  of  observation. 

6.  The   danger  of   over-illustration. 

7.  The  danger  of  obscuring  the  point  of  the  story  with  too  many 

details. 

8.  The  danger  of  over-explanation. 

9.  The  danger  of  lowering  the  standard  of  the  story  in  order  to 

appeal  to  the  undeveloped  taste  of  the  child. 

*  Taken    in    substance    from    Miss   Bryant's   book. 


46  Means  and  Methods 

For  a  fuller  treatment  of  the  matter,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  chapters  on  method  in  the  books  from  which  the  above 
outlines  were  taken,  and  to  the  accompanying  bibliography. 

D.      BIBLIOGRAPHY 

The  books  listed  in  many  cases  not  only  discuss  the  question 
of  method,  etc.,  but  also  include  classified  lists  of  stories  and 
additional  bibliographies. 

BRYANT,    SARA    CONE— How    To    Tell    Stories    To    Children— Boston— 
Houghton,  Mifflin  Co.,  1905. 

Some  chapters:     I.     The  Purpose  of  Story  Telling  in  School 
II.     Selection  of  Stories  To  Tell 

III.  Adaptation  of  Stories  For  Telling 

IV.  How  To  Tell  The  Story 

V.     Some  Specific  Schoolroom  Uses. 

Contains  also  thirty-two  stories  especially  selected  for  kinder- 
garten and  grades  I,  II,  III,  IV,  V,  and  also  a  list  of  books 
in  which  the  story  teller  will  find  other  stories. 

BRYANT,  SARA   CONE— Stories  to   Tell  To  Children— Boston — Houghton, 
Mifflin  Co.,  1907. 

Contains  fifty-one  stories  with  some  suggestions  for  telling. 
SHEDLOCK,   MARIE   L.— The   Art    Of   The   Story   Teller— New   York— D. 
Appleton  &  Co.,  1915. 

Contains  list  of  stories,  books  suggested  to  the  story  teller, 

and  books  referred  to  in  the  list  of  stories. 
Some  chapters:     I.     The  Difficulties  of  the  Story 
II.     The  Essentials  of  the  Story 

III.  The  Artifices  of  Story-telling 

IV.  Elements  to  Avoid  in  Material 

V.    Elements  to  Seek  in  Choice  of  Material 
VI.     How  to  Obtain  and  Maintain  the  Effect 

of  the   Story 

VII.    Questions  Asked  by  Teacher. 
HORNE,  HERMAN   HAROLD — Story  Telling,   Questioning  and   Study — New 

York— Macmillan    Co.,    1916. 

ABLER,  FELIX — Moral  Instruction  of  Children — New  York — D.  Appleton 
&  Co. 

(Contains  a  chapter  on  "The  Use  of  Fairy  Tales") 

KEYES,  ANGELA  M.— Stories  and  Story-Telling—New  York— D.  Appleton 
&  Co,  1915. 

Some  chapters:     I.     Kinds  of  Stories  to  Tell 

II.    The  Principles   of   The   Art  of   Telling 
Stories 

III.  Getting  the   Story 

IV.  Telling  the  Story 

V.     The  Child's   Part  in   Story-Telling 
VI.    A  List  of  Stories 
VII.     Some  Very  Short  Stories. 

LYMAN,   EDNA— Story-Telling— What   To   Tell   and   How   To    Tell   It- 
New  York— A.  C.  McClurg  &  Co.,  1910. 

ST.    JOHN,    EDWARD    PORTER— Stories    and    Story-Telling— Philadelphia— 
The  Westminster  Press— 1910. 


Story  Telling  47 

Some  chapters:     I.     The  Use  of  Idealistic  Stories 

II.    Realistic  Stories  and  How  to  Use  Them 

III.  Some     Vital    Characteristics    of     Good 

Stories 

IV.  Learning  to  Tell  a  Story,  Where  to  Find 

Stories. 

PARTRIDGE,  EVELYN  NEWCOMB,  and  PARTRIDGE,  GEORGE  EVERETT — Story- 
Telling  in  School  and  Home— New  York,  Sturgis  &  Walton  Co., 
1912. 

MACCLINTOCK,  PORTER  L. — Literature  in  the  Elementary  School — Chicago 
— University  of  Chicago  Press. 

"The  book  gives  a  series  of  detailed  studies  on  the  teaching 
of  the  various  kinds  of  stories,  and  includes  a  list  of  titles 
in  literature  for  each  of  the  elementary  grades." 

DICKINSON,  ASA  DON — The  Children's  Book  of  Thanksgiving  Stories- 
New  York— Doubleday,  Page  &  Co.,  1915. 

OLCOTT,  FRANCES  J. — Good  Stories  for  Great  Holidays — Boston — Houghton, 
Mifflin  Co.,  1914. 

Arranged   for   story-telling  and   reading  aloud   and   for  the 

children's  own  reading. 
"Myths,  legends,  tales  and  historic  stories  suitable  to  holiday 

occasions  brought  together." 

OLCOTT,  FRANCES  J. — One  Hundred  Good  Stories  to  Tell  and  Where  to 
Find  Them.  In  The  Children's  Reading.  Boston— Houghton,  Mif- 
flin Co.,  1912. 

POULSSON,  EMILIE — In  the  Child's  World — Springfield,  Mass. — Milton 
Bradley  Co.,  1910. 

"Morning    talks    and     stories     for    kindergartens,     primary 

schools   and  homes." 
SALISBURY,  GRACE  E.,  and  BECKWITH,  MARIE  E. — Index  to  Short  Stories — 

Chicago— Row,  Peterson  &  Co.,  1907. 
HOLLAND,  R.  S. — Historic  Inventions — Philadelphia  (Washington  Square) 

G.  W.  Jacobs— 1911. 

TAPPAN,  EVA  MARCH— The  Old  Old  Story-Book  Compiled  from  the 
Old  Testament— Boston— Houghton,  Mifflin  Co.,  1910. 

"This  book  is  not  an  attempt  'to  bring  downr  the  Scriptures 

to   children.     It  is   simply  a  collection   of   Old  Testament 

stories,  given  in  the  words  of  the  Bible,  but  arranged  like 

other  books  in  paragraphs  rather  than  verse." 

HOWARD,    MARGARET — Truly    Stories    from    the    Surely    Bible — Boston — 

Lathrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co.,  1915. 
BEALE,  HARRIET  S.  ELAINE — Stories  from  the  Old  Testament  for  Children 

—New  York— Duffield'&  Co.,  1914. 
BAKER,    EMILIE    KIP — Out    of    the    Northland — Stories    from    Northern 

Myths— New   York— Macmillan   Co.,    1914. 
PALMER,   GEORGE  H. — The   Odyssy — New   York — Houghton,   Mifflin   Co., 

1908. 
MABIE,  HAMILTON  WRIGHT — Famous  Stories  Every  Child  Should  Know — 

New  York— Doubleday,  Page  &  Co.,  1907. 

SCUDDER,  HORACE — Fables  and  Folk  Tales — New  York — Houghton,  Mif- 
flin Co. 

ARNOLD,  SARAH  LOUISE — Reading — How  To  Teach  It — New  York — 
Silver,  Burdett  &  Co. 

(Contains  "A  List  of  Stories  Which  Have  Been  Tested  and 
Found  Helpful  in  the  School  Room,"— Ch.  XII) 


48  Means  aiid  Methods 

KIPLING,    RUDYARD — Jungle    Book — Second    Jungle    Book — New    York — 

Century  Co. 

ROBERTS,  C.  G.  D.— Haunters  of  Silences — New  York— Doubleday, 
Page  &  Co.,  1907. 

(Book  of  animal  life.) 

ROBERTS  C.  G.  D.— Kindred  of  The  Wild— New  York— Doubleday,  Page 
&  Co.,  1902. 

(Book  of  animal  life.) 
ROBERTS,  C.  G.  D.— Kings  in  Exile— New  York— Macmillan  Co.,   1910. 

(Stories  of  captive  animals.) 

ROBERTS,  C.  D.  D. — Neighbors  Unknown — New  York — Macmillan  Co.,  1911. 
ROBERTS,  C.  G.  D.— Return  to  The  Trails— New  York— Doubleday,  Page 
&  Co. 

(Bear  story.) 

ROBERTS,  C.  G.  D.— Watchers  of  The  Trails— New  York— Doubleday, 
Page  &  Co.,  1904. 

(Book  of  animal  life.) 
SETON,  ERNEST  THOMPSON — Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known — New  York — 

Chas.   Scribner's   Sons,   1898. 
SETON,   ERNEST  THOMPSON — Krag  and   Johnny  Bear — New  York — Chas. 

Scribner's  Sons,  1902. 
SETON,  ERNEST  THOMPSON — Trail   of   The    Sandhill    Stag— New   York— 

Chas.  Scribner's  Sons,  1899. 
SETON,  ERNEST  THOMPSON — Biography  of  a  Grizzly  Bear — New  York — 

Century   Co.,    1900. 

Nature  Stories — For  a  very  comprehensive  bibliography  of  nature  stories 
"more  or   less  adapted  and  more  or  less  true,"   see  Frederick  L. 
Holtz's  book  on  "Nature    Study.'* 
P amp  hie  ts — lists. 

McCuRDY,  ROBERT  MORRILL — A  Bibliography  of  Articles  Relating  to  Holi- 
days—Revised by  Edith  M.  Coulter— Boston— The  Boston  Book  Co., 
1907— (25c.) 

POWER,  EFFIE  L.,  Ed. — Lists  of  Stories  and  Programs  for  Story  Hours — 
White  Plains,  N.  Y.— H.  W.  Wilson  Co.,  1915. 

Contains  stories   for  little  children  and   for  older  ones   and 

books  about  story-telling. 

HASSLER,  HARRIOT  E.  and  SCOTT,  CARRIE  E.  (Compiled  by) — Graded  List 
of  Stories  for  Reading  Aloud — Chicago — American  Library  Associa- 
tion Pub.  Board,  1915. 

PITTSBURGH   CARNEGIE  LIBRARY — Stories  to  Tell   to   Childen;   A   Selected 

List  with  Stories  and  Poems  for  Holiday  Programs,  1916 — (25c.) 

In  the  list  the  stories  are  grouped  according  to  their  interest 

to  children  of  different  ages. 
The  stories  are  characterized  as  follows : 
Cumulative   Folk-tale,    Repetitive   Folk-tale,   Folk   Fairy-tale, 
Humorous     Folk-tale,     Fable,     Saint     Legend,     Mediaeval 
Legend,  Japanese  Legend,  Dutch  Legend,  etc. ;  Myth,  Bibli- 
cal   Story,    Epic,    Ballad,    Modern    Fairy    Story,    Modern 
Realistic  Story,  American  Indian  Story,  Biographical  Story. 
PITTSBURGH   CARNEGIE  LIBRARY — Story  Telling  to   Children   from   Norse 

Mythology  and  the  Nibelungenlied,  1903 — (20c.) 

PITTSBURGH  CARNEGIE  LIBRARY — Stories  from  the  Ballads  of  Robin  Hood 
with  Lists  of  Other  Ballads  to  Tell  and  to  Read  Aloud— Outlines 
for  story-telling  to  children  over  nine  years  of  age,  1914 — (5c.) 
CABOT,   ELLA   LYMAN— Ethics    for    Children— Boston— Houghton,    Mifflin 
Co.,  1910. 


Dramatisations,  Plays,  Festivals  49 

"The  purpose  of  this  book  is  to  suggest  the   best  available 
ethical  centers  for  every  year  from  six  to  fourteen." 
1st  year — ethical  center — Helpfulnes 


2nd 
3rd 
4th 
5th 
6th 
7th 
8th 


— Home  Life 

—Work 

—Golden  Deeds 

— Loyalty 

— Friendship 

— Patriotism 

— Choosing  a  Calling 


Topics  are  suggested  for  every  month. 

All  of  these  books  and  lists  are  available  for  reference  in  the 
Children's  Room  of  the  New  York  Public  Library  at  42nd  Street  and 
Fifth  Avenue. 

A  list  of  books  on  story-telling  is  also  included  in  the  Department 
of  Education  list  of  textbooks  authorized  to  be  used  in  the  public 
elementary  schools  of  the  city  under  "Reference  Books  for  Teachers." 
See  also  "Duplicate  Schools  in  the  Bronx/'  by  Dr.  Joseph  S.  Taylor, 
published  by  the  Department  of  Education. 

7.    DRAMATIZATIONS,  PLAYS,  FESTIVALS,  ETC. 

A.    DRAMATIZATIONS,  PLAYS,  ETC. 

(1)     Aims  and  Values 

The  value  for  education  of  making  use  of  the  dramatic  instinct, 
in  fact  its  essential  character  for  the  complete  development  and 
self-realization  of  the  individual,  has  been  recognized  only  in 
recent  years. 

In  the  Francis  W.  Parker  School  of  Chicago  a  great  deal  of 
attention  has  been  devoted  to  this  type  of  educational  activity. 
The  following  paragraphs  taken  from  the  Year  Book  of  the 
school  are  a  formulation  of  the  values  which  the  experience  of 
the  school  has  shown  dramatic  expression  to  possess : 

"In  the  first  place  it  is  held  that  while  the  play  is  but  one  means  of 
self-expression,  it  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  for  the  teacher.  It 
provides  a  more  varied  training  to  the  individual  than  dancing,  singing, 
drawing.  It  demands  graceful  and  interpretive  use  of  the  body,  it 
requires  good  manipulation  of  the  speech  organs  and  it  trains  the 
ear  and  mind  to  an  appreciation  of  literary  beauty." 

"Few  forms  of  work  produce  such  joy  in  the  workers  as  participa- 
tion in  a  play." 

"In  addition  the  drama  is  of  great  value  as  a  socializing  force. 
Every  child  recognizes  that  the  play  without  the  audience  is  bare. 
Acting  is  expression  definitely  for  some  one  and  to  some  one." 

"The  exercise  of  the  spirit  of  subordination  of  self  to  the  group  for 
the  unity  and  good  of  the  whole  social  body  is  a  valuable  training  for 
life  and  is  another  aspect  of  the  development  of  a  social  consciousness." 

"The    stimulation    of    human    sympathy    is   another   product   of   the 


50  Means  and  Methods 

development  of  the  dramatic  spirit.  The  act  of  striving  to  appreciate 
another's  point  of  view  and  understand  his  problems  in  order  that  we 
may  justly  present  that  person  in  thought,  speech  and  action  tends 
to  widen  one's  own  mental  horizon  and  enlarge  one's  sympathies  in 
the  problems  of  others.  This  leads  to  a  deeper  insight  into  hidden 
depths  of  human  action  and  develops  insight  into  character." 

'Training  in  moral  judgment  cannot  fail  to  result  from  the  seeing 
of  life  whole  as  we  do  in  the  sound  drama.  Every-day  experience 
gives  us  little  perspective;  we  cannot  see  the  inevitable  way  in  which 
cause  and  effect  are  connected.  The  drama  gives  us  an  outlook,  so 
that  we  can  understand  human  experience  and  see  the  results  of 
human  conduct,  thereby  gaining  an  understanding  of  life.  This  helps 
to  establish  moral  ideals." 

"The  work  of  preparing  and  presenting  a  play  gives  splendid  oppor- 
tunities for  the  exercise  of  initiative." 

"The  development  of  concentration  has  been  mentioned  frequently. 
The  successful  portrayal  of  a  character  before  an  audience  necessi- 
tates that  the  speaker  feel  the  emotion  while  he  speaks.  This  requires 
a  high  degree  of  concentration." 

"Dramatization  certainly  helps  in  the  cultivation  of  literary  feeling 
and  power.  The  anticipation  of  presentation  which  actuates  the  pupils 
in  the  making  of  a  play  results  in  much  enthusiasm.  The  actual  work 
of  dramatization,  therefore,  reaches  a  higher  mark  of  excellence  than 
is  to  be  obtained  in  composition  work  that  has  a  less  compelling  social 
motive.  Writing  of  real  vigor  and  power  is  developed,  and  the  constant 
reference  to  the  piece  of  literature  that  is  being  made  into  a  play, 
together  with  the  study  of  the  work  of  a  great  dramatist,  to  find  out 
how  he  has  constructed  his  play,  helps  to  create  a  real  literary  apprecia- 
tion and  feeling." 

"The  acquisition  of  information  is  one  of  the  minor  accompaniments 
of  the  work.  The  intelligent  giving  of  an  historical  play,  for  example, 
necessitates  not  a  little  acquaintance  with  the  habit  and  customs  of 
the  period." 

"A  very  practical  result  is  the  training  of  the  memory.  Therefore, 
the  plays  given  ought  to  be  worth  while,  for  it  is  a  pity  to  fill  the 
thought  with  material  that  has  no  literary  value." 

"Improvement  in  speech  follows  the  work  in  acting,  if  properly 
conducted.  The  bettering  of  the  speech  of  most  Americans  is  a 
'consummation  devoutly  to  be  wished.'  I  know  of  no  time  when 
young  people  are  so  willing  to  work  to  improve  speech  and  overcome 
defects  as  when  they  actually  find  that  bad  habits  of  voice  production 
are  hampering  them  in  expressing  themselves  and  in  getting  their 
thought  'over  the  footlights.'  Pupils  are  at  such  time  ready  to  strive 
patiently  to  overcome  weakness  of  voice,  throatiness,  bad  articulation, 
poor  enunciation,  and  the  inability  to  radiate.  Voice  exercises  are 
now  not  a  bore,  but  an  avenue  to  desired  freedom  and  beauty  of 
expression." 

(2)     Choice  of  Subject  Matter 

The  chief  sources  of  material  for  dramatization  in  the  school 
are  to  be  found  for  the  most  part  in  the  subjects  of  literature 
and  history.  Other  subjects,  such  as  civics,  geography,  nature 


Dramatizations,  Plays,  Festivals  51 

study,  etc.,  also  contain  in  certain  phases  of  their  content  material 
more  or  less  suitable  for  dramatic  expression.  It  is,  however, 
with  the  first  type  that  we  are  chiefly  concerned. 

The  choice  of  subject  matter  for  dramatic  presentation  is  a 
question  of  prime  importance.  Such  selection  depends  upon  a 
variety  of  factors,  such  as  the  age,  the  sex,  the  grade,  the  varying 
abilities  and  interests  of  the  pupils  participating  or  the  character 
of  the  occasion.  Nevertheless,  certain  general  considerations 
may  be  pointed  out  that  should  obtain  in  the  selection  of  subjects 
or  plays  for  dramatization : 

1st — The  material  selected  must  be  suited  to  the  capacity,  interests,  and 

needs  of  the  children. 

2nd — It   must  possess  proper  literary  form. 
3rd — It  must  possess  dramatic  quality.    Everything  cannot  be  presented 

in  dramatic  form.     Dramatic  expression  should  be  employed 

only  when  it  serves  to  make  clearer  the  thoughts  and  images 

involved. 

With  reference  to  the  selection  of  a  play  for  reproduction,  the 
following  suggestions  are  made  by  Miss  CONSTANCE  D'ARCY 
MACKAY  : 

"Whatever  play  you  select,  be  sure  of  three  things :  that  it  has 
literary  quality,  dramatic  quality,  and  that  it  contains  an  idea.  By 
literary  quality  is  meant  that  the  language  should  be  poetic.  There 
is  no  benefit  in  the  memorizing  of  commonplace  lines.  By  dramatic 
quality  is  meant  that  the  play  should  have  an  interesting  plot,  with  a 
climax.  Lack  of  climax  or  culminating  point,  is  the  lack  of  most 
children's  plays.  That  the  play  should  contain  an  idea  means  that 
it  should  teach  some  dominant  truth  either  subtly  or  openly.  It  may 
either  be  the  great  lesson  of  courage  in  adverse  circumstances,  or  the 
simple  lesson  that  happiness,  like  the  Blue  Bird,  can  be  found  at  home. 

"The  range  of  emotion  in  child-drama  is,  of  course,  restricted ;  such 
things  as  money-lust,  power-lust,  vice,  social  ambition,  despair,  or 
trickiness  do  not  exist  for  normal  children.  They  are  beyond  their 
range.  Neither  should  children's  plays  contain  love-making  or  senti- 
ment. In  acting  such  scenes  they  are  merely  aping  emotions  that  they 
have  never  felt,  and  acting  for  children  should  be  as  direct  and  sincere 
as  it  is  possible  to  make  it.  It  should  carry  with  it  a  distinct  atmos- 
phere of  simplicity  and  candor.  There  should  be  no  straining  after 
effect,  no  appeal  that  does  not  spring  directly  from  the  heart.  The 
child  should  be  expressing  his  or  her  inward  self — not  acting,  in  the 
adult  sense  of  the  word.  For  this  reason  the  characters  which  children 
represent  should  be  those  of  a  common  and  deep  humanity.  It  would 
be  ideal  if  children  could  always  act  characters  of  their  own  years, 
whose  feelings  they  could  at  once  appreciate.  But  since  this  is  not 
always  possible  the  other  folk  who  figure  so  largely  in  children's 
plays — quaint  fairies,  peasants,  trolls,  woodcutters,  and  the  like — should 
have  that  artlessness  that  is  akin  to  the  artlessness  of  children."* 


*  How  to  Produce  Children's  Plays,  p.   47. 


52  Means  and  Methods 

In  the  lower  grades  the  work  in  dramatization  will  naturally 
differ  in  some  respects  from  that  carried  on  with  the  older  pupils. 
The  difference,  however,  will  be  one  of  form  and  method  rather 
than  of  spirit. 

For  the  younger  children  the  best  source  of  material  is  found 
in  their  stories — the  fairy,  or  folk  tales,  the  myths  and  fables. 
Types  of  such  material  are  The  Mother  Goose,  The  Little  Red 
Hen,  Three  Little  Pigs,  The  Three  Billy  Goats  Gruff,  The  Elves 
and  The  Shoemaker,  The  Crow  and  The  Fox,  etc. 

Later  when  the  children  have  developed  greater  power  of 
expression,  the  units  for  dramatization,  while  still  short,  may 
include  a  greater  number  of  incidents.  Examples  of  suitable 
material  are :  Cinderella,  Aladdin  and  The  Wonderful  Lamp, 
Sleeping  Beauty,  Snow  White  and  The  Seven  Dwarfs.  At  this 
stage  the  children  also  find  pleasure  in  dramatizing  various  simple 
occupations  such  as  the  farmer,  plowing,  sowing,  reaping,  the 
gardener,  the  shoemaker,  etc.,  at  work.  Symbolic  representations 
of  nature  such  as  "The  Months,"  "The  Transformation  of  Winter 
into  Spring,"  "The  Coming  of  Summer,"  may  also  be  selected. 

Another  type  of  subject  is  the  life  of  different  peoples — Eskimo 
life,  Indian  life,  the  life  of  the  Pioneers,  the  Greeks,  the  Norse- 
men. This  offers  interesting  material  suitable  for  representation 
and  within  the  powers  of  the  children  of  the  primary  grades. 

In  types  of  activity  the  dramatization  of  the  lower  grades  differs 
from  that  of  the  upper  grades.  The  child's  expression  in  the 
youngest  period  is  largely  pantomimic  with  but  little  dialogue. 
Such  pantomime  may  be  accompanied  by  music.  Later  we  have 
pantomime  combined  with  dialogue  and  song  and  dance.  And, 
finally  in  the  upper  grades  we  have  dialogue  alone.  As  a  general 
rule  dramatizations  in  the  primary  grades  contain  speech,  panto- 
mime, songs,  poems,  dance,  combined  in  various  ways. 

Costuming  is  not  essential  and  for  the  most  part  undesirable. 
Where  costuming  may  serve  a  purpose  such  as  making  an  idea 
more  real,  suggesting  the  character  or  distinguishing  the  in- 
dividual, simple  articles  of  dress  are  effective. 

In  the  amount  of  preparation  required  primary  plays  differ 
from  those  acted  by  upper  grade  children.  In  the  lower  grades 
the  spirit  of  the  work  and  the  limitations  of  the  children  make  it 
inadvisable  to  require  long  preparation.  Their  plays  are  more 


Dramatizations,  Plays,  Festivals  53 

spontaneous  in  character.  "Little  children  act  purely  for  the  fun 
of  acting,  older  ones  think  of  the  audience." 

At  the  same  time  no  slipshod  work  should  be  passed  over. 
Constructive  criticism,  incidentally  given  during  a  series  of  per- 
formances, will  develop  in  the  youthful  performers  greater 
accuracy  in  observation  and  increased  faithfulness  of  expression. 

In  the  intermediate  grades  from  4A  to  6B  the  character  of 
the  work  in  dramatization  changes.  The  children's  interests 
have  enlarged.  Their  fund  of  experience  has  increased  mater- 
ially. They  are  capable  of  more  sustained  effort.  Their 
expression  is  less  crude. 

The  play  material  now  used  may  have  a  "more  sustained  plot, 
some  differentiation  of  character,  less  hurry  in  the  telling  of 
the  story  and  an  attempt  at  beauty  of  language." 

The  choice  of  material  is  determined  in  part  by  the  grade 
work  in  history  and  literature.  The  children,  particularly  the 
boys,  are  interested  in  adventure,  in  tales  of  chivalry  and  heroism, 
in  pioneer  life,  etc.  Types  of  plays  or  material  suitable  at  tfr.s 
period  are : 

Ali  Baba  and  the  Forty  Thieves 

Robin  Hood  (by  Howard  Pyle) 

Tales  from  Hawthorne's  Wonderbook 

Arabian  Nights 

Alice  in  Wonderland 

The  Pied  Piper 

Stories  of  Arthur  and  His  Round  Table 

Hero  Tales  of  Greece,  the  Norsemen,  etc. 

Charlemagne 

Hiawatha 

King  of  the  Golden  River 

The  work  in  American  history  takes  up  the  periods  of  coloniza- 
tion and  the  Revolution  and  offers  much  suitable  material  for 
dramatic  representation.  Such  material  would  include  selections 
from  the  lives  of  the  nation's  heroes,  pioneers,  etc.,  as  Wash- 
ington, Nathan  Hale,  Franklin,  Boone,  Lewis,  Clarke,  etc. 

In  the  intermediate  grades  original  dramatizations  by  the 
children  who  make  selections  from  their  literature  and  history 
also  provide  material  of  value. 

In  the  upper  grades  with  the  continued  development  of  the 
abilities  and  powers  of  the  children  and  with  the  rapid  expansion 
of  the  range  of  their  interests,  more  pretentious  efforts  may  be 
attempted.  The  work  in  literature  and  history  still  forms  the 


54  Means  and  Methods 

chief  source  of  material.    Selections  may  include  passages  from : 

Rip  Van  Winkle 

Miles   Standish 

Evangeline 

Ivanhoe  (much  material  suitable  for  dramatic  presentation) 

Julius  Caesar 

and  such  plays  as : 

Yeat's— A  Pot  of   Broth 

The  Nativity,  by  Douglas  Hyde 

The  House  of  the  Hearth,  by  Mackay 

A  Brewing  of  Brains,  by  Mackay 

The  preparation  for  such  plays  increases  in  amount  in  com- 
parison with  that  required  in  the  intermediate  grades.  Since  the 
children  are  capable  of  more  sustained  effort,  closer  and  more 
conscious  study  of  the  play  may  be  demanded.  Necessarily  in 
the  upper  grades  where  more  finished  reproductions  are  attempted 
there  will  be  fewer  plays  given  by  the  children. 

The  material  equipment,  the  costumes  and  properties  may  be 
more  elaborate  in  response  to  the  desires  of  the  children  at  this 
time  for  more  realistic  effects.  While  the  material  phase  may 
often  receive  overemphasis,  it  has  certain  values  in  itself.  It 
provides  a  means  for  utilizing  the  products  of  the  various  art 
departments  of  the  school.  The  study  of  costumes,  utensils,  etc., 
of  a  period  to  be  described,  is  both  desirable  and  valuable  in 
itself  and  may  form  part  of  history  work.  The  drawing  and  the 
sewing  classes  may  contribute  to  the  designing  and  making  of 
the  costumes.  The  shops  may,  as  their  share  to  the  common 
project,  construct  the  properties;  i.e.,  the  spears,  the  helmets,  the 
shields,  etc.,  that  the  requirements  of  the  play  demand. 

The  above  discussion  touches  but  lightly  upon  the  problems 
involved.  For  a  more  authoritative  and  detailed  treatment  of 
the  various  aspects  of  the  subject  and  for  further  sources  of 
material,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  bibliography  at  the  end  of 
this  section. 

B.      FESTIVALS 

Akin  to  the  school  play  is  the  school  festival  which  also  is 
frequently  found  to  form  part  of  auditorium  exercises.  One 
of  the  pioneers  in  the  movement  to  "incorporate  the  school  festival 
as  an  integral  part  of  the  school  life  and  work"  is  the  Ethical 
Culture  School.  The  experiences  of  this  school  in  this  field  are 


Dramatisations,  Plays,  Festivals  55 

described  in  a  most  suggestive  volume  entitled,  "Plays  and 
Festivals,"  edited  by  PERCIVAL  CHUBB.  The  book  considers  not 
only  the  theoretical  phases  of  the  question,  but  also  takes  up  the 
practical  difficulties  which  must  be  met  in  making  the  festival 
an  organic  factor  in  school  work. 

(1)     Aims  and  Values 

According  to  Mr.  CHUBB,  "The   festival  derives  its  special 

significance  for  education  and  culture  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the 
meeting  ground  of  the  two  great  impulses  which  actuate  human 
life, — the  impulse  of  work  and  the  impulse  of  play."  Particularly 
true  is  this  of  the  school  festival. 

It  is  on  its  value  as  play  as  a  means  of  preparing  the  young 
for  refined  and  recreative  leisure  that  Mr.  CHUBB  places  the 
emphasis. 

"From  the  larger  social  point  of  view  this  emphasis  on  recreational 
values  is  justified  by  the  fact  that  the  minute  subdivision  and  special- 
ization of  industrial  labor  make  it  more  and  more  impossible  for  a 
man  to  find  adequate  self-development  through  his  work,  so  that  he 
must  study  more  and  more  to  find  it  in  his  leisure  and  recreation. 
We  have,  in  short,  developed  an  economic  and  industrial  order  which 
involves  the  ethical  bankruptcy  of  work.  Carlyle  may  thunder  forth 
his  heroic  gospel  of  work ;  but  it  falls  with  an  empty  sound  upon 
the  ears  of  the  millions  whose  work  condemns  them  to  the  minute 
and  monotonous  processes  of  the  modern  factory. 

"As  it  is  with  the  adult,  so  it  is  with  the  child :  the  average  child 
in  our  large  cities  has  lost  the  art  of  recreative  play,  that  large  heritage 
which  came  down  to  the  children  of  former  times  and  filled  their 
lives  with  song  and  rhyme,  the  dance  and  the  game,  which  had  been 
elaborated  by  generations  of  children  in  past  centuries.  Hence,  then, 
the  plea  for  the  festival  whether  it  be  the  school  or  the  public  festival ; 
it  is  a  plea  for  the  recovery  of  a  type  of  recreative  and  educative 
activity  which  becomes  increasingly  absent  from  the  lives  of  young 
and  old  alike.  To  get  it  back  into  the  lives  of  the  old,  it  is  desirable 
to  begin  to  get  it  back  into  the  lives  of  the  young;  and  that  is  why 
the  effort  to  incorporate  the  festival  in  school  life  may  be  regarded 
as  the  first  step  toward  the  recovery  of  a  means  of  social  culture  which 
is  more  sorely  needed  today  than  it  has  ever  been  before." 

Another  important  value  that  the  school  festival  has  is  the 
moral  influence  which  it  exerts.  This  influence  is  described  in 
Mr.  CHUBB'S  book  in  such  well-put  words  as  to  warrant  quoting 
in  full: 

"Now,  the  festival  becomes  a  means  of  moral  education  through  its 
promotion  of  what  may  be  called  the  three  pieties  or  three  forms  of 
reverence  to  which  it  may  make  appeal.  The  first  of  these  we  may 
name  natural  piety,  meaning  thereby  a  feeling  for  the  ordered  and 
rhythmical  life  of  nature,  that  sense  of  universal  or  cosmic  law  ruling 


56  Means  and  Methods 

our  lives  which  is  hinted  at  in  the  largest  way  by  the  sequence  of  the 
seasons,  the  life  and  death  and  rebirth  of  the  Power  behind  our 
human  life.  This  should  carry  with  it  a  sense  of  our  human  dependence 
upon  the  majestic  laws  which  rule  Nature,  reinforced  by  the  admiring 
and  wondering  sense  of  the  beauty  and  bounty  of  the  earth  as  an 
expression  of  this  life  and  law.  It  is  in  this  natural  piety  that  the 
great  historical  festivals  of  the  past  have  their  origin. 

"Passing  from  this  to  the  second  form  of  piety,  which  we  may  call 
human  piety,  we  have  a  form  of  moral  emotion  which  is  still  rudimen- 
tary in  its  development.  By  this  human  piety  is  meant  primarily  man's 
sense  of  his  indebtedness  to  man  in  the  past,  begotten  in  him  by  a 
recognition  of  the  great  drama  of  man's  slow,  painful  and  baffled 
efforts  to  advance  in  the  conquest  not  only  of  nature,  but  of  truth  and 
justice.  It  is  the  idea  which  should  be  the  underlying  conception  in 
our  teaching  of  history,  which  to  be  fruitful  in  its  influence  must  be 
conceived  of  as  a  great  epic  of  human  progress.  Once  so  seen,  this 
great  drama  naturally  quickens  the  sentiments  of  pride,  pity  and 
gratitude  an  the  human  heart. 

"Thirdly,  we  have  what  may  be  distinguished  from  human  piety  in 
general  as  institutional  piety — that  is  to  say,  intelligent  reverence  for 
the  means  whereby  man  has  expressed  his  social  nature  in  the  insti- 
tution, customs,  and  laws  of  civilized  life.  Institutional  piety  means 
piety  toward  the  home  and  the  family,  toward  one's  town  or  city  and 
one's  state  and  nation,  as  well  as  toward  the  school,  the  church,  and 
other  organized  agencies  of  social  life." 

Other  values  of  the  festival  result  from  its  power  of  effecting 
correlation  between  the  various  subjects  of  the  curriculum,  such 
as  literature,  composition,  art,  music,  dancing,  shopwork,  etc., 
and  secondly  from  its  utilization  of  the  dramatic  instincts  of  the 
child.  As  a  means  of  accomplishing  the  purposes  assembly 
exercises  should  have  in  view,  the  festival  is  very  effective. 

(2)     Choice  of  Subjects 

The  occasions  usually  selected  for  celebration  through  festivals 
are :  first,  the  seasonal  changes  in  nature — spring  and  autumn, 
summer  and  winter,  which  are  commemorated  in  the  Spring 
Festival  during  May  or  on  May  Day,  Thanksgiving  or  Harvest 
Festival,  and  Christmas  or  Mid  Winter  Festival ;  secondly,  the 
holidays,  national  and  state,  such  as  the  birthdays  of  Washington, 
and  Lincoln,  Memorial  Day,  Independence  Day,  offer  further 
occasions  for  festival  celebrations. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  there  are  many  other  holidays  or 
special  days  of  significance  to  the  community  and  to  the  school 
which  may  be  observed,  such  as  Field  Day,  Commencement, 
Labor  Day,  Election  Day,  Anniversary  Day,  St.  Valentine's  Day. 
Hallowe'en,  etc. 


Dramatizations,  Plays,  Festivals  57 

The  bibliographies  contained  in  the  accompanying  list  of  books  " 
give  the  sources  for  material  available  for  festival  purposes. 

c.     THE:  PAGEANT 

The  pageant  in  the  common  acceptance  of  the  term  is  the 
presentation  of  a  series  of  scenes  or  episodes  connected  with  the 
history  of  the  locality  or  it  may  be  a  spectacular  and  ceremonial 
procession  typifying  some  period,  or  event  or  series  of  events. 

(1)     Values 

The  chief  value  of  the  pageant  lies  in  its  power  to  stimulate 
patriotism  and  love  of  country.  It  vitalizes  the  past.  It  makes 
vivid  and  real  the  lives  of  the  heroes  of  our  history.  It  presents 
concrete  images  of  the  costumes,  the  speech,  the  customs  and 
manners  of  early  times.  It  brings  back  something  of  the  spirit 
that  dominated  men  and  women  in  the  early  periods  of  the 
country's  existence.  The  fortitude,  the  courage  and  vigor,  the 
patience,  the  sacrifices  of  our  forefathers  in  their  struggle  against 
pioneer  conditions  are  vividly  illustrated.  Through  such  pictures 
the  pageant  serves  to  arouse  in  both  spectator  and  participant 
feelings  of  national  pride  and  a  desire  to  serve  one's  country. 

In  common  with  the  festival  and  the  play,  the  pageant  possesses 
all  the  values  which  result  from  dramatic  expression,  to  which 
reference  has  already  been  made.  If  properly  planned  it  will 
stimulate  the  children  to  a  great  deal  of  extra  or  outside  work; 
i.e.,  searching  through  libraries  and  museums,  looking  up  costumes 
and  settings,  designing  and  making  simple  and  accurate  costumes, 
collecting  other  necessary  stage  properties,  etc.  In  this  way  it 
will  serve  to  correlate  many  of  the  school's  activities. 

D.      BIBLIOGRAPHY 

The  books  included  in  the  following  list  in  many  cases  contain 
additional  bibliographies : 

*CHUBB,  PERCIVAL — Festivals  and  Plays  in  Schools  and  Elsewhere — New 
York— Harper  Bros,  1912. 
Contents : 

Part    I.     The  festival  and  its  educational,  cultural,  and  recrea- 
tional aspects. 
II.     Music  in  the  festival. 

III.  Art  in  the  festival. 

IV.  Costuming  in  the  festival. 
V.     Dancing  in  the  festival. 

VI.     First    steps    in    the    development    of     festival     and 
dramatic  activities. 


58  Means  and  Methods 

Appendix : 

(A)  Specimen  programs  of    festivals  held   at  Ethical   Culture 

School. 

(B)  Diagrams    showing    the    method    of    working    out    color 

schemes  for  costumes. 

(C)  Details  and  specimens  of  dramatization  in  the  4th,  5th  and 

6th  grades,  with  outlines  and  accounts  written  by  the 
children  themselves,  and  notes  on  the  method  of  prep- 
aration, etc. 

Also  bibliography  (general,  festival  music  and  costume). 
*FRY,    EMMA    SHERIDAN — Educational    Dramatics — New    York — Moffatt, 
Yard  &  Co.,  1913. 

Handbook  of  educational  player  method. 
KIMMINS,  G.  T.— The  Child  of  Play  Book  of  Festival  and  Dance— IV 

parts.     London — J.  Curwen  &  Sons. 

MACKAY,  CONSTANCE  D'ARCY — How  to  Produce  Children's  Plays — New 
York— Henry  Holt  &  Co.,  1915. 

"The  author  tells  how  to  inspire  and  care  for  the  young  actor, 
how  to  make  costumes,  properties,  scenery;  where  to  find 
designs  for  them;  what  music  to  use,  etc.  She  prefaces  it 
all  with  an  interesting  historical  sketch  of  the  plays-for- 
children  movement,  includes  elaborate  detailed  analysis  of 
performances  of  Browning's  Pied  Piper  and  Rosetti's 
Pageant  of  the  Months,  and  concludes  with  numerous  valu- 
able analytical  lists  of  plays  for  various  grades  and  occa- 
sions." 

*MACKAY,  CONSTANCE  D'ARCY— Costumes   and   Scenery   for  Amateurs- 
New  York— Henry  Holt  &  Co.,  1915. 

*CRAIG,  ANNE  A.   T.— The  Dramatic   Festival— New   York— G.    P.   Put- 
nam's Sons,  1912. 

A  consideration  of  the  Lyrical  Method  as  a  Factor  in  Prepara- 
tory Education  with  a  List  of  References  for  Teachers,  and 
a  bibliography  of  plays  and  festival  material. 

*NEEDHAM,  MARY  MASTER— Folk  Festivals,  Their   Growth  and   How  to 
Give  Them— New  York— B.  W.  Huebsch,  1912. 
Part    I.    The  Pioneer  Festival. 
"     II.    The  Spirit  of  the  Festa. 
"   III.    Festal  Heritage. 
;'  IV.    Choice  of  Subject. 

V.    The  Use  of  Festivals  in  Schools. 

1  VI.     Psychological    Effects    of   the   Festival,    Bibliography 
and  'References. 

HAMILTON,    CLAYTON— Studies   in    Stagecraft— New    York— Henry   Holt 

&  Co. 
HAMILTON,  CLAYTON— The  Theory  of  the  Theatre— New  York— Henry 

Holt  &  Co. 
*HERTS,     ALICE     MINNIE— The     Children's     Educational     Theatre— New 

York— Harper  Bros.,  1911. 

*BELL,    MRS.    HUGH— Fairy   Tale   Plays    and    How   to    Act   Them— New 
York — Longmans,  Green  &  Co.,  1910. 
Contains : 

Ali  Baba  or  The  Forty  Thieves. 
Pumpelstiltzkin. 
Red  Riding  Hood. 
Beauty  and  the  Beast 
Jack  and  the  Bean  Stalk. 
Cinderella. 


Dramatisations,  Plays,  Festivals  59 

Foolish  Jack. 
The  Golden  Goose. 
The  Tinder  Box. 
The  Three  Wishes 
The  Emperor's  New  Clothes. 
The  Fisherman  and  His  Wife. 
The  Sleeping  Beauty. 
Bluebeard. 
BLOXAM,    E.    E—  Little    Pageant    Plays    for    Children— London— Wells, 

Gardner,  Barton  &  Co. 
*GOODLANDER,   MABEL   R. — Fairy   Plays    for   Children — New    York — Rand 

McNally  &  Co.,  1915. 

LASELLE,    MARY    A. — Dramatizations    of    School    Classics — New    York — 
Educational  Pub.  Co. 

"A  dramatic  reader  for  grammar  and  secondary  schools.  These 
selections  can  also  be  used  in  the  ordinary  reading  lesson." 
Some  of  the  selections : 

Hawthorne — The  Paradise  of  Children. 

Hawthorne — King  Midas. 

Browning — The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin. 

Irving— Rip  Van  Winkle. 

Dickens — A  Christmas  Carol. 

Goldsmith — Moses    at    the    Fair,    from    the    Vicar    of 

Wakefield. 

Scott — The  Archery  Contest,  from  Ivanhoe. 
Bennett — Master  Skylark. 

*LINCOLN,  JEANNETTE  E.  C— The  Festival  Book— New  York— A.  S. 
Barnes,  1912. 

May-day  pastime  and  the  May-pole  dances,  revels,  and  musical 
games  for  the  playground,  school  and  college. 

(Note. — Before  pupils  participate  in  games  and  dances, 
the  early  May-day  customs  may  be  explained  in  the 
auditorium.) 

*LUTKENHAUS,  ANNA  M.,  ed.— Plays  for  School  Children— New  York- 
Century,  1915. 

Contains  also  a  year's  programs  for  the  special  days. 
LANSiNGy    MARION    FLORENCE— Dramatic    Readings    for    Schools— Ntew 

York — Macmillan  Co. 

*MACKAY,  CONSTANCE  D'ARCY — The  Silver  Thread  and  other  folk  plays 
for  young  people — Arranged  for  use  in  the  grammar  grades — New 
York— Henry  Holt  &  Co.,  1910. 

"Each  play  contains  some  homely  truth  or  a  bit  of  philosophy; 
for  a  folk  play  lacking  its  attendant  moral  is  the  proverbial 
egg  without  its  salt.  The  plays  contained  in  this  volume 
are  gathered  from  eight  widely  different  sources:  The 
Cornish  mines,  Rhinish  forests,  the  Lincolnshire  fells,  the 
Russian  steppes,  the  sea-coast  of  Ireland,  the  hill-slopes  of 
Italy,  the  snug  fields  of  Brittany,  and  the  troll-haunted 
meadows  of  Norway." 

*MACKAY,  CONSTANCE  D'ARCY— The  House  of  the  Heart  and  other  plays 
for  children— New  York— Henry  Holt  &  Co.,  1911. 

"Each  play  contains  a  distinct  lesson,  whether  of  courage,  gentle 
manners,  or  contentment."  Several  of  the  plays  are  espe- 
cially adapted  to  holiday  seasons. 

MACKAY,  CONSTANCE  DfAncY — Patriotic  Plays  and  Pageants  for  Young 
People— New  York— Henry  Holt  &  Co.,  1912. 


60  Means  and  Methods 

Pageant  of  Patrtiotism  (Outdoor  and  Indoor  Versions)  : 
Princess  Pocahontas,  Pilgrim  Interlude,  Ferry  Farm 
Episode,  George  Washington's  Fortune,  Daniel  Boone, 
Patriot,  Benjamin  Franklin  Episode,  Lincoln  Episode, 
Final  Tableau. 

Hawthorne  Pageant  (For  Outdoor  and  Indoor  Production)  : 
Chorus  of  Spirits  of  the  Old  Manse,  Prologue  by  the 
Muse  of  Hawthorne,  In  Witchcraft  Days,  Dance  Interlude, 
Merrymount,  etc. 

Each  play  deals  with  the  youth  of  some  American  hero. 
"Much  of  the  dialogue  contains  the  actual  words  of  Lincoln, 
Washington,  and  Franklin,  so  that  in  learning  their  lines 
the  youthful  players  may  grasp  something  of  the  hardihood 
and  sagacity  of  Washington,  the  perseverance  of  Franklin, 
and  the  honesty  and  dauntlessness  of  Lincoln,  and  of  those 
salient  virtues  that  went  to  the  upbuilding  of  America." 
STEVENSON,  AUGUSTA — Dramatized  Scenes  from  American  History — 

Boston— Houghton,  Mifflin  Co.,  1916. 

*STEVENSON,    AUGUSTA — Children's    Classics    in    Dramatic    Form — Books 
I,  II,  III,  IV,  V— Boston— Houghton,  Mtifflin  Co.,  1908. 

"The  series  aims  to  serve  three  distinct  purposes :  First,  to 
arouse  a  greater  interest  in  oral  reading;  second,  to  develop 
an  expressive  voice — sadly  lacking  in  the  speech  of  most 
Americans ;  and  third,  to  give  freedom  and  grace  in  the 
bodily  attitudes  and  movements  which  are  involved  in 
reading  and  speaking.  The  stories  given  are  for  the  most 
part  adaptations  of  favorite  tales  from  the  folklore  of 
many  countries,  from  historical  tradition,  and  from  standard 
literature. 

TUCKER,  LOUISE  E..  and  RYAN,  ESTELLE  L. — Historical  Plays  of  Colonial 
Days  for  Fifth  Year  Pupils — New  York — Longmans,  Green  &  Co., 
1912. 

*  WALKER,   ALICE   JOHNSTONE — Little    Plays    from    American   History   for 
Y'oung  Folks — New  York — Henry  Holt  &  Co. 
Contains : 

Hiding  the  Regicides. 

Mrs.  Murray's  Dinner  Party. 

Scenes  from  Lincoln's  Time. 

"Sources  of  Information  on  Recreation,"  issued  by  the  Russell 
Sage  Foundation,  contains  references  to  various  publications  on 
dramatics,  festivals  and  pageants  (10  cents). 

All  of  these  books  are  available  for  reference  in  the  Children's  Room 
of  the  New  York  Public  Library  at  42d  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue. 


*  The   books   starred   may  be    obtained   at   the   Library  of   the  Department 
of  Education. 


Dramatizations,  Plays,  Festivals  61 

The  accompanying  list  of  plays  for  children  has  been  compiled 
by  HELEN  L.  DICKEY,  Librarian,  Chicago  Normal  School : 

ALCOTT,  L.  M. — Comis  Tragedies,  Century  Co. 

*BELL,  LADY  FLORENCE — Fairy  Tale  Plays  and  How  to  Act  Them.  Long- 
mans, Green  &  Co. 

BELL,  LADY  FLORENCE — Nursery  Comedies.  Twelve  tiny  plays  for  chil- 
dren. Longmans,  Green  &  Co. 

BIRD  and  STARLING — Historical  Plays  for  Children.     Macmillan  Co. 

BLACK,  CLEMENTINA — Kindergarten  Plays.     Dent. 

BRISCOE,  M.  S.,  and  others — Harper's  Book  of  Little  Plays.    Harper's. 
*BROWNE,  H.  B. — Short  Plays  from  Dickens.     Scribner. 

BRYCE,  C.  T. — Child-lore  Dramatic  Reader.     Scribner. 

BULLIVANT,  C.  H.,  ed. — Home  Plays :  A  collection  of  new  and  simple 
and  effective  plays  by  various  writers  with  instructions  for  costumes, 
scenery,  etc.  Dodge  Pub.  Co. 

*BURRILL,  E.  W.— Master  Skylark  or  Will  Shakespeare's  Ward.  Drama- 
tized from  the  story  of  the  same  name  by  John  Bennett.  Century 
Co. 

CAMBELL,  A.  M. — Twelve  plays  with  music  for  children,  with  sketches, 

dialogues  and  suggestions  for  costume.  Moffatt,  Yard. 
*CHAPMAN,  J.  J. — Four  plays  for  children.  Moffatt,  Yard. 
*CARTER,  E.  H. — Christmas  Candles;  plays  for  boys  and  girls.  Holt. 

COM  STOCK,  F.  A. — Dramatic  version  of  Greek  myths  and  hero  tales. 
Ginn  &  Co. 

COMSTOCK,  FANNY — Courtship  of  Miles  Standish.    Ed.  Pub.  Co. 

COM  STOCK,  F.  A. — Dickens  Dramatic  Reader.     Ginn  &  Co. 

COOKE,  M.  B. — The  First  Thanksgiving  Dinner.     Dramatic  Pub.  Co. 

COOKE,  M.  B. — A  Springtime  Fantasy.     Dramatic  Pub.  Co. 
*DALKEITH,  LENA— Little  Plays  Told  to  the  Children.     Dutton. 

DENTON,  C.  J.— Little  People's  Dialogues. 

Dix,  BEULAH  M. — Allison's  lad  and  other  martial  interludes.     Holt. 

DUGAN,  C.  A.— King's  Jester. 

DUNN,  F.  W.— What  Shall  We  Play.    Dramatic  Reader.     Macmillan. 

FONCHER,  L.  C. — Effie's  Christmas  Dream.     Little,  Brown. 
*FRANK,  MAUDE  M. — Short  Plays  About  Famous  Authors.    Holt  &  Co. 

GARNETT,  L.  A.— Master  Will  of  Stratford.     Macmillan. 

GOULD,  E.  L.— "Little  Men,"  plays.     Curtis  Pub.  Co.  (Little  Women.) 
*GUNNISON,  B. — New  Dialogues  and  Plays. 

HARDY,  T.  M. — An  Evening  with  Shakespeare. 

HARRIS,  F.  H.— Eight  Plays  for  the  School.     Dutton. 

HARRIS,  F.  H. — Plays  for  Young  People  for  School  Entertainments. 
Cassell  &  Co. 

HARRISON,  MRS.  BURTON— Alice  in  Wonderland.    Dramatic  Pub.  Co. 

HOGATE,  E.  C.— Sunbonnets  and  Overalls.     Rand  McNally. 

HOLBROOK,  FLORENCE— Dramatic  Reader  for  Lower  Grades.  American 
Book  Co. 

ISHAM  and  WEITZEL— The  Toy.  Shop.     Samuel  French. 
*JOHNSTONE  and   BARNUM — Books  of  plays   for  little  actors    (primary), 
American  Book  Co. 

KING,  G.  G. — 'Comedies  and  Legends  for  Marionettes.    Macmillan. 

LUTKENHAUS,  MRS.  A.  M.  L— Master  Skylark,  a  dramatization  of  the 
book.  Century. 

MACDONNEL,  AMICE — Historical  Plays  for  Children:  Alfred  the  Great. 
The  Burghers  of  Calais,  The  Enterprise  of  the  Mayflower,  Magna 
Carta,  Edward  III,  Robin  Hood,  Saxon  and  Norman,  The  Story  of 
the  Armada,  The  Crusaders.  George  Allen  &  Sons,  London. 


62  Means  and  Methods 

*MACKAY,  C.  D.— Plays  of  the  Pioneers.    Harper. 
McFADDEN,  E.  A.— Why  the  Chimes  Rang.    French. 
MERINGTON,  MARGUERITE — Festival  Plays   (Holidays).    Duffield. 
*MERINGTON,  MARGUERITE — Picture  Plays.    Duffield. 
MEIGS,  CORNELIA — The  Steadfast  Princess.     Macmillan. 
MILES,  A.   M.— Magic  Trunk;   a  play  in  one  act.     Drama  League  of 

Chicago. 

NESBET,  FRANK— Magic  Whistle  and  other  plays.    Longmans,  Green. 
NIXON,  L.  E,— Fairy  Tales  a  Child  Can  Read  and  Act.    Doubleday-Page. 
NOYES  and  RAY — Little  Plays  for  Little  People  (primary).    Ginn  &  Co. 
OLCOTT,  VIRGINIA — Plays    for   Home,   School   and    Settlement.     Moffat, 

Yard  &  Co. 

*PEMBERTON,  MAY— Christmas  Plays  for  Children.     Crowell. 
PERRY,  S.  G.  S.— When  Mother  Lets  Us  Act.    Moffat,  Yard. 
RICHARDS,  MRS.  L.  E.  H.— The  Pig-Brother  Play-Book.     Little,  Brown. 
SAINT  NICHOLAS — Book  of  Plays  and  Operettas.     Century. 
SETON,  E.  T.— The  Wild  Animal  Play.     Curtis. 
SHIPTON,  HELEN — Elsa  and  the  Trolls,  and  other  plays  for  little  people. 

Wells. 
SKINNER/  A.  M. — Dramatic  Stories  for  Reading  and  Acting.     American 

Book. 

SKINNER,  A.  M. — Little  Dramas  for  Primary  Grades.     American  Book. 
SIMON  and  ORR — Dramatization;  selections  from  English  Classics. 
SOWERBY,  M.  and  G.— Little  Plays   for  Little  People.     Henry  Frowde, 

London. 

SPOFFORD,  H.  P. — The  Fairy  Changeling;  a  flower  and  fairy  play.  Badger. 
*STEVENSON,    AUGUSTA— The    Puppett    Princess;    or    The    Heart    That 

Squeaked;  a  Christmas  play  for  children.     Hougnlon. 
*SIDGWICK,  ETHEL — Four  plays  for  children.    Small,  Maynard. 
STOKES  PUB.  Co. — Hansel  and  Gretel,  a  play  for  children  adopted  from 

Humperdinck's  opera.     F.  A.  Stokes. 
*SYRETT,  NETTA — Six  fairy  plays  for  children.     Lane. 
WELLS,  CAROLYN — Jolly  Plays  for  Holidays;  a  collection  of  Christmas 

entertainments.     W.  H.  Baker  &  Co. 
WERNER  PUB.  Co.— Aladdin,  Juvenile  Play  for  School  or  Home.    Werner 

Co. 

WHIDDINGTON,  A.  A.— A  play  book  of  history.    Blackie. 
WIGGIN,  K.  D.— Bird's  Christmas  Carol.    Houghton. 
WILLIAS,  A.  W. — Five  short  plays  for  children  in  one  act  each.    London 

Year  Book  Pr. 
YOUMANS,    F.    Z.— Christmas    Festival    of    Old    English    Customs    and 

Carols.    Atlantic  Educational  Journal. 

STONE,  MELIMENT— The  Bankside  costume  book  for  children.     Saalfield 
Pub. 

8.    PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Another  school  activity  which  contributes  to  assembly  exercises 
is  physical  training.  While  this  activity  generally  is  limited  to  the 
playground  and  gymnasium,  in  certain  phases  (such  as  folk 
dances,  mimetics,  and  other  drills)  it  frequently  forms  part  of 
the  various  activities  of  the  assembly. 


*  The  books  starred  may  be   obtained  at  the  Library  of   the  Department 
of  Education. 


Physical  Training  63 

A.     FOLK  DANCES 

(1)  Values 

With  the  hygienic  or  gymnastic  values  of  the  dance  we  are  not 
here  concerned.  It  is  as  a  dramatic  mode  of  expression  that  the 
folk  dance  and  other  forms  of  dance  contribute  to  the  work  of 
the  assembly  exercises.  ''Dancing  is  a  race  heritage  from  most 
primitive  times ;  it  is  an  instinct  as  real  as  and,  in  fact,  coincident 
with  the  instinct  of  response  to  rhythm,  hence  its  wondrous 
charm.  When  spontaneous  and  free,  it  is  expression  in  terms  of 
those  activities  in  which  our  forbears  uttered  most  of  the  energies 
of  their  bodies  and  souls.  Because  of  its  instinctive  appeal,  be- 
cause of  the  added  power  of  expression  and  deepening  of  feeling 
it  gives,  because  it  is  a  race  heritage  dimmed  and  withheld  by 
so-called  civilization  and  convention,  because  of  all  this,  should 
boys  and  girls,  young  people  and  grown-ups,  come  into  their 
own  by  practice  and  appreciation  of  this  mother  of  arts."  It  is 
through  these  elements  of  culture  and  recreation  that  folk  dances 
subserve  the  inspirational  and  recreative  functions  of  assembly 
exercises. 

Necessarily,  the  dancing  cannot  be  taught  nor  practiced  in  the 
auditorium.  That  is  reserved  for  the  gymnasium  and  play- 
ground. It  is  in  the  school  exhibitions,  festivals  or  celebrations 
that  dancing  is  brought  before  the  school  in  the  assembly.  The 
participation  in  this  way  of  a  special  class  or  group  in  the  ex- 
ercises of  the  whole  school  lends  a  social  motive  to  the  drill  and 
practice  necessary.  The  joy  of  contributing  to  the  work  or  the 
pleasure  of  the  school  community,  the  pride  of  responsibility 
rather  than  that  of  personal  exhibition,  are  incentives  to  the 
children  engaged  in  such  dances.  In  this  respect  such  elements 
exert  a  socializing  influence. 

Dancing  fulfills  two  offices  in  the  festival — the  aesthetic  and 
the  practical.  Under  the  former  may  be  placed  the  "artistic  ef- 
fects produced  by  massed  movement,  the  display  of  costume  and 
the  blending  of  color,  the  emphasis  given  by  the  dance  to  the 
particular  part  of  the  action  of  the  play  or  pantomime,  the  element 
of  variety  it  supplies,  and  the  joy  which  the  sight  of  dancing  as 
well  as  the  participation  in  it  gives." 


64  Means  and  Methods 

Under  the  practical  may  be  mentioned  "the  large  effects  ob- 
tained by  comparatively  small  effort ;  the  opportunity  to  use  large 
numbers  easily  and  effectively;  the  participation  of  many  or  all 
the  members  of  a  group  instead  of  the  few  with  particular  ability, 
and  the  fact  that  it  is  a  simple  and  natural  way  of  reaching 
children  because  of  its  primitive  appeal." 

The  types  of  dance  that  are  adapted  to  school  use,  particularly 
for  festivals,  are:  1.  The  descriptive  or  pantomimic;  2.  The 
symbolic  (Greek  chorus)  ;  3.  The  folk  dance — Moorish,  Scotch, 
Swedish,  etc.;  4.  The  formal  or  set  dance — the  minuet,  the 
gavotte,  the  pavanne. 

The  nature  of  the  festival,  the  emphasis  or  the  effect  desired 
determine  the  selection  of  the  type  of  dance  or  its  adaptation. 
For  a  more  comprehensive  discussion  of  the  subject  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  various  authorities  mentioned  in  the  accom- 
panying bibliography. 

(2)  Bibliography 

GULICK,  LUTHER  H— Folk  Dancing— (Illustrating  the  educational,  civic 
and    moral    value    of    folk    dancing) — New    York — Russell    Sage 
Foundation,  5c. 
*BURCHENAL,  ELIZABETH— Folk  Dances  and  Singing  Games— New  York— 

Shirmer,  1910. 

*CRAMPTON,  C.  WARD— The  Folk  Dance  Book— New  York— Barnes,  1910. 
*CRAWFORD,    CAROLINE — Folk    Dances    and    Games— New    York — Barnes, 

1909. 

SOURCES  OF  INFORMATION  ON  RECREATION— (A  bulletin  issued  by  the  De- 
partment of  Recreation  of  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  130  East 
22d  Street,  New  York  City,  contains  references  to  various  publica- 
tions on  games  and  folk  dancing,  lOc.) 

MACKAY — How  to  Produce  Children's  Plays — New  York — Henry  Holt 
&  Co. 

Chapter  VIII — Music  and  Dances  with  bibliography. 
CHUBB,    PERCIVAL,    and    Associates — Festivals    and    Plays — New    York — » 
Harper  &  Brothers,  1912. 

Part  V — Dancing  in  the  Festival,  by  Mary  G.  Allerton. 
Appendix    D — Music,    Principally    Instrumental,    for    Dancing, 
Pantomime,  etc. 

B.     MIMETICS 

Another  type  of  exercise  which  physical  training  may  con- 
tribute to  the  assembly  period  is  the  mimetic  exercise,  or  drill. 
This  type  of  activity  is  recreative  in  character  and  has  its  place 
in  the  gymnasium  and  playground  in  the  physical  training  work 

*  Titles  starred  are  found  on  list  of  textbooks  authorized  for  use  1n  the 
public  elementary  schools  of  the  citv  under  "Reference  Books  for  Teachers' 
Use." 


Debates  and  Contests 


65 


of  every  grade.  At  the  same  time  the  presentation  of  such  drills 
in  the  auditorium,  by  selected  groups,  proves  an  interesting  and 
valuable  contribution  to  the  exercises  and  serves  to  arouse  interest 
in  physical  training  upon  the  part  of  the  children. 

The  syllabus  prescribes  certain  drills  for  each  grade,  as/ 
follows : 

5A — Driving  Stakes p.  52    of  syllabus 

Crouching  Start    "    52-a 

Rowing    "   54' 

Batting    "   56 

Standing  Broad  Jump   "   57 

5B— Standing  Broad  Jump  "152      ' 

Hoisting  Sail  "154 

Infielder's  Catch  and  Throw "156      ' 

6A — Sawing  Logs    "   62 

Standing  Broad  Jump   "   62-a 

Bowling   "   64 

Basket  Ball  Throw  "66      ' 

Batting  "   67 

The   Shot   Put    "162-a' 

6B— Throwing  the  Lasso "162      ' 

Raising  the  Anchor "164      ' 

Hoisting  Sail  "167      ' 

7 A— Batting   "   72 

Crouching  Start   "   72-a  *        " 

Basket  Ball  Throw   "   76 

7B— Standing  Broad  Jump  "172 

Jumping  Jack    "  174 

8A— Golf  Drive "  82 

Batting  "   82-a 

Fencing "84      ' 

8B— Chopping  Wood    "182      '        " 

Shot  Put  "  182-a 

Hammer  Throw  "  186 

Batting   "187 

These  drills  may  be  presented  in  various  combinations,  such  as 
the  Baseball  Series,  the  Occupational  Series,  etc.  Full  directions 
as  to  method  are  to  be  found  in  the  Physical  Training  Syllabus. 

9.    DEBATES  AND  CONTESTS 

(A)  DEBATES 
(1)    Aims  and  Values 

Among  the  activities  which  may  enter  into  assembly  exercises 
is  the  debate.  It  is  suited  particularly  to  the  upper  grades.  The 
debate  as  an  assembly  exercise  is  of  value  in  the  first  place  in 
the  training  in  expression  which  the  contestants  receive.  Closely 
related  to  this  is  training  in  organization  of  subject-matter.  In 


66  Means  and  Methods 

addition,  there  is  the  extension  of  information  on  the  subject 
under  debate.  The  pupils  preparing  for  the  debate  are  led  to 
ransack  the  libraries,  to  examine  closely  their  reference  books, 
to  weigh  the  data  they  collect,  and  to  arrange  their  material  in 
forceful,  logical  and  impressive  manner.  The  subject  of  debate 
may  be  taken  from  the  subject-matter  of  the  course  of  study  or 
it  may  be  some  public  question  of  current  interest.  The  following 
bibliography  includes  books  which  contain  references  to  subjects 
suitable  for  debates: 

(2)    Bibliography 

SHURTER,  E.  D.,  and  TAYLOR,  C.  C— Both  Sides  of  100  Public  Questions 

Briefly  Debated.     New  York— Hinds,  Noble  &  Eldridge. 
SHURTER,  E.  D.— Public  Speaking.    Boston— Allyn  &  Bacon,  1903. 
SHURTER,   E.   D.— Extempore   Speaking   for    School   and   College.     New 

York— Ginn  &  Co. 
PEARSON— Briefs  of  Debates— Both  Sides.     New  York— Hinds,  Noble  & 

Eldridge. 

CRAIG — Pros  and  Cons.    New  York— Hinds,  Noble  &  Eldridge. 
HENRY — How  to  Organize  and  Conduct  a  Meeting.     New  York— Hinds, 

Noble  &  Eldridge. 
The  Abridged  Debaters'  Handbook  Series.    White  Plains,  N.  Y.— H.  W. 

Wilson  Co. 

Bulletins   of   the   Extension   Division   of   the   University   of   Wisconsin, 
Madison,  Wis. 

Some  titles :    Debating  and  Public  Discussion. 

The  Principles  of  Effective  Debating. 
How  to  Judge  a  Debate. 

Debating  Societies — Organization  and  Procedure. 
General  Statement — Debates,  Themes,  Discussions. 
Suggestions,  etc. 

(B)     CONTESTS 

Contests  of  various  kinds  may  form  part  of  the  assembly  ex- 
ercises at  times.  They  are  effective  as  an  assembly  activity  when 
they  interest  the  entire  group.  The  contestants  should  be  chosen 
from  the  pupils  of  each  class  in  the  assembly,  or  the  subject  of 
the  contest  should  appeal  to  the  interests  of  the  entire  group. 

The  type  of  contest  that  comes  most  readily  to  mind  is  the 
spelling  match.  In  Public  School  64,  Manhattan,  contests  in 
composition,  history  dates,  words  frequently  mispelled,  catch 
problems  in  arithmetic,  etc.,  have  been  used.  In  Public  School 
45,  The  Bronx,  the  list  of  contests  includes  one  in  geography — the 
location  of  cities. 


Debates  and  Contests'  67 

The   following  additional   contests  are  suggested  by   Super- 
intendent MCANDREW: 

Romans  and  Carthaginians.  Choose  a  pupil  as  'Roman  General, 
another  as  Carthaginian  General.  Each  calls  up  ten  soldiers.  The 
Generals  stand  at  opposite  sides  of  the  stage,  each  with  his  soldiers 
grouped  around  him.  The  Propounder  stands  at  the  rear  of  the  assem- 
bly hall  and  gives  directions,  alternately,  to  the  Roman  and  to  the 
Carthaginian  General.  It  may  be  an  alphabetical,  geographical  game 
as:  Locate  cities  beginning  with  the  required  letter.  The  Roman 
begins  with  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  The  Carthaginian  then  shouts 
Chelsea,  Mass.,  etc.  The  soldiers  are  thinking  of  cities  beginning  with 
the  designated  letter  and  they  whisper  these  into  the  ears  of  their 
General.  The  Propounder,  as  he  calls  on  one  general  and  the  other, 
begins  counting  aloud:  "one,"  "two,"  "three,"  etc.,  up  to  ten.  If 
before  "ten"  is  spoken  the  designated  General  fails  to  give  and  locate 
a  city,  or  if  he  gives  one  which  has  been  spoken  before,  he  loses  a 
soldier,  such  a  one  as  is  selected  by  the  opposing  General.  This 
soldier  resumes  his  place  in  the  auditorium  seats.  When  the  contest 
has  gone  on  sufficiently  long  the  score  is  taken  by  counting  the  number 
of  surviving  soldiers  on  each  side.  The  Propounder,  when  the  response 
is  not  given  with  sufficient  audibility  to  be  heard  clearly  throughout  the 
assembly  hall,  counts  it  a  miss  and  requires  the  commander  to  dismiss 
a  man. 

This  game,  a  favorite  one  in  English  schools  for  the  past  several 
hundred  years,  is  adaptable  to  a  large  number  of  subjects,  as:  The 
names  of  distinguished  men  and  what  they  have  done  for  mankind; 
the  names  of  animals,  useful  to  man,  and  what  their  use  is;  the  names 
of  distinguished  women  and  what  has  distinguished  them;  the  names 
of  useful  tools ;  the  names  of  minerals ;  the  names  of  plants. 

In  every  case  the  Propounder  gives  the  initial  letter  which  is  used 
by  one  side  and  the  other  until  all  the  names  beginning  with  that  letter 
have  been  exhausted. 

Arithmetic  Relay  Races.  Four  or  six  blackboards  are  on  the  plat- 
form. Four  or  six  lines  of  pupils  with  four  or  six  contestants  in  each 
are  placed  at  the  rear  of  the  assembly.  Standing  at  each  of  the  black- 
boards is  a  pupil  supplied  with  a  paper  on  which  is  written  four  or  six 
simple  examples  in  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication,  division,  per- 
centage, etc.  At  a  given  signal  the  first  boy  or  girl  of  each  group  in 
the  back  of  the  assembly  runs  up  the  aisle  to  the  blackboard  and  takes 
the  paper  from  the  designated  pupil.  Each  contestant  begins  at  once 
to  work  the  first  problem.  The  papers  are  identical.  As  soon  as  he 
has  worked  and  proved  the  first  problem  he  runs  to  the  back  of  the 
auditorium  and  hands  the  paper  to  the  next  pupil  in  line,  who  runs 
to  the  blackboard  and  works  the  second  example  and  proves  it.  So  on 
until  all  the  examples  on  the  paper  have  been  worked.  Teams  making 
any  error  in  results  are  disqualified  from  the  score.  The  team  solving 
all  the  problems  correctly  in  the  shortest  time  wins. 

Matches  in  Definition.  This  is  a  modification  of  the  old  spelling 
match.  The  contestants  are  required  to  give  the  proper  meanings  of 
the  words  pronounced. 

Singing  Contest.  Two  choirs  stand  on  different  sides  of  the  stage 
and  sing,  each  the  same  tune  in  succession.  The  best  singers  are 
designated  by  the  audience,  either  by  applause  or  by  showing  of  hands. 

Posture  and  Marching  Contests.  In  charge  of  class  captain  the 
three  or  four  contesting  classes  march  down  the  aisles  and  across  the 


68  Means  and  Methods 

auditorium.  Their  marching  is  criticised  and  commented  upon  by 
pupils  in  the  audience  and  the  decision  made  by  the  vote  of  the 
audience. 

"What  Do  You  Knoinf'  Contest.  Two  teams,  as  in  a  spelling 
match,  are  lined  up  on  different  sides  of  the  stage.  The  Propounder 
asks  each  individual  in  turn,  on  alternate  sides,  such  questions  as  the 
ordinary  bright  boy  of  the  age  of  the  contestants  ought  to  be  able  to 
answer. 

10.    MISCELLANEOUS 
A.  FORUM 

The  assembly  exercises  may  include  many  other  minor  activi- 
ties besides  those  discussed  in  the  preceding  paragraphs.  Of 
these,  two  may  briefly  be  mentioned,  viz.,  the  school  forum  and 
the  auditorium  question  box. 

The  school  forum,  as  the  name  implies,  provides  that  the  as- 
sembly period  be  devoted  to  open  discussion  by  the  pupils  on  the 
topic  or  subject  of  the  day.  The  discussion  is  conducted  under 
the  leadership  of  one  of  the  pupils.  This  forum  has  been  con- 
ducted in  Public  School  53,  The  Bronx,  with  success.  The  topics 
selected  for  discussion  relate  to  current  events  or  to  various 
subjects  of  the  curriculum,  etc. 

B.     QUESTION    BOX 

The  auditorium  "question  box"  provides  an  opportunity  for  the 
pupils  to  bring  before  the  assembly  group  the  questions  that  have 
perplexed  them  during  a  given  interval.  The  questions  are  de- 
posited in  a  box  and  are  taken  up  and  discussed  at  the  assembly 
period  set  aside  for  such  purpose.  The  questions  may  relate  to 
current  events,  to  questions  of  science,  or  to  the  application  of 
scientific  principles  to  every-day  needs,  etc.  The  teacher  in 
charge  selects  certain  questions  for  the  day  and  conducts  the 
discussion.  He  may  at  times  call  upon  volunteers  among  the 
pupils  to  take  up  the  discussion  or  supply  illustrations,  etc. 


69 


IV.     ORGANIZATION   OF    SUBJECT-MATTER—TYPES 
OF  EXERCISES 

1.     INTRODUCTION — THE  PROBLEM 

Almost  every  subject  in  the  curriculum  forms  a  source  of 
material  for  assembly  exercises.  Literature,  history,  civics, 
science,  nature  study,  geography,  industries,  music,  art,  hygiene, 
physical  training,  all  contribute  to  the  work  of  the  school  assem- 
bly. The  wide  range  of  material  available  for  such  exercises 
permits  great  freedom  in  the  choice  of  subject-matter,  unre- 
stricted by  any  course  of  study  or  syllabus. 

Such  desirable  latitude  gives  the  teacher  in  charge  greater  re- 
sponsibility and  greater  pleasure  than  if  the  work  were  subject 
to  prescribed  limits  for  grade  or  topic.  In  the  selection  of 
material,  care  must  be  exercised  that  the  activity  fulfills  the 
aims  set  up  for  assembly  exercises — whether  inspirational,  recrea- 
tive, interpretive  or  instructional,  etc. ;  that  it  is  adapted  to  audi- 
torium conditions,  where  a  larger  group  is  present  than  in  the 
classroom,  and  that  it  appeals  to  the  interests  of  the  children  in 
the  various  assembly  groups. 

Another  problem  which  presents  itself  is  the  question  of 
organization.  Shall  the  assembly  periods  be  apportioned  among 
the  various  subjects  of  the  course  of  study — i.  e.,  one  period  de- 
voted to  literature,  another  period  to  geography  or  history,  an- 
other to  science  or  nature  study,  ethics,  and  so  on?  The  present 
course  of  study  in  the  schools  consists  of  isolated  divisions  of 
human  experience  upon  which  instruction  has  built  up  a  more 
or  less  specialized  subject-matter  and  method.  The  rigid  organi- 
zation of  subject-matter  found  in  the  regular  grade  work  cannot 
be  carried  over  into  the  assembly  activities,  inasmuch  as  the 
organization  of  the  assembly  includes  pupils  from  various  grades. 
Nor  is  this  rigid  organization  altogether  desirable.  The  flexibility 
possible  in  assembly  exercises  is  an  element  which  should  be 
retained. 

It  is  possible  to  base  the  work  of  the  assembly  period  on  larger 
units  of  human  experience  than  is  permitted  by  the  subdivisions 


70  Types  of  Exercises 

of  the  course  of  study.  Such  larger  centers  can  be  related  more 
closely  to  life  and  to  the  needs  and  interests  of  the  children. 
Through  such  units  the  assembly  exercises  can  effect  a  more 
vital  correlation  of  the  specialized  subjects  of  the  course  of  study, 
so  that  the  final  effects  of  instruction  in  such  studies  would  be 
unified  and  integrated. 

To  a  large  extent,  therefore,  the  assembly  exercises  should 
grow  out  of  the  regular  school  work.  Each  particular  study 
should  contribute  such  share  of  its  subject-matter  as  relates  to 
the  larger  unit  of  the  assembly  exercises.  In  turn,  such  exercises 
may  serve  as  a  potent  influence  in  motivating  the  more  intensive 
learning  process  in  the  differentiated  subjects  of  the  course  of 
study.  As  types  of  the  larger  centers  referred  to  above,  the 
following  are  suggested: 

THE  LIFE  OF  THE  SCHOOL  AS  A  SOCIAL  COMMUNITY 

COMMUNITY  LIFE  OUTSIDE  THE  SCHOOL 

THE  WORLD  OF  NATURE 

THE  WORLD  OF  ART,  LITERATURE,  Music 

THE  LIFE  OF  THE  NATION 

2.  LIFE  OF  THE  SCHOOL  AS  A  SOCIAL  COMMUNITY 
Today  the  school  is  recognized  as  a  social  organization.  It  is 
a  social  community  in  itself.  The  children  spend  a  large  portion 
of  each  day  in  school  and  their  interests  are  naturally  centered 
about  it.  The  life  of  the  school  then,  in  its  various  phases,  forms 
a  center  about  which  some  of  the  auditorium  exercises  may  be 
grouped. 

The  assembly  period  "is  the  common  meeting  ground;  it  is 
the  family  altar  of  the  school,  to  which  each  brings  his  offerings — 
the  fruits  of  his  observations  and  studies,  or  the  music,  literature 
and  art  that  delight  him ;  a  place  where  all  co-operate  for  the 
pleasure  and  well-being  of  the  whole ;  where  all  contribute  to  and 
share  the  intellectual  life  of  the  whole;  where  all  bring  their 
best  and  choicest  experiences  in  the  most  attractive  form  at 
their  command." 

While  all  assembly  exercises  tend  in  effect  to  emphasize  school 
unity,  those  that  are  based  on  the  life  of  the  school  aim  specific- 
ally to  develop  among  the  pupils  social  or  group  consciousness. 
The  following  are  suggestive  of  exercises  having  such  motive : 


Life  of  the  School  as  a  Social  Community  71 

A.      SIGNIFICANT  DAYS  IN  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  SCHOOL 

(1)  Opening  Day  Exercises,  welcoming  the  returning  children, 

calling  to  mind  school  aims,  standards,  ideals,  etc. 

(2)  Graduation  Day  Exercises — Class  Day 

The  Class  day  may  be  fittingly  celebrated  by  a  class  play,  carefully 
prepared,  which  would  serve  as  the  contribution  of  the  graduating 
class  to  the  school. 

The  program  for  graduation  exercises  may  center  about  some 
idea  or  theme,  such  as  social  service,  citizenship,  culture,  etc.,  td 
which  the  various  numbers  would  relate. 

(3)  Meetings  of  the  School  State  or  School  City  or  other  forms 

of  pupil  self-government 

Such  meetings  held  occasionally,  with  the  upper  classes  particu- 
larly, are  very  influential  in  fostering  school  spirit  and  in  stimu- 
lating a  sense  of  social  responsibility.  They  may  be  devoted  to 
the  election  of  "school  officials"  or  to  their  installation,  or  to  a 
discussion  of  the  common  interests  and  aims  of  the  pupils  or  of 
the  policies  of  the  school.  For  example,  they  may  concern  them- 
selves with  subjects  such  as 

School  Rules   and   Regulations. 

Conduct  of  Assembly  Exercises. 

Changing  of  Classes — Passing  through  the  Halls. 

Dismissals. 

Keeping  the  School  Premises  Clean. 

(4)  Field  Day 

Every  school  holds  a  field  day.    Exercises  in  the  auditorium  may 

.precede  the   outdoor   celebration.     The   assembly   exercises    may 

devote   themselves    to   a   consideration   of   the   value   of    athletic 

sports,  the  work  of  the  Public  Schools  Athletic  League,  the  ideals 

of  sport,  or  good   sportsmanship,    fair  play,  honest  rivalry,   etc. 

1  They  may  include  a  brief  description  of  sports  in  other  lands  or 

in  our  own  country  in  earlier  times.    This  may  be  illustrated  by 

pictures,  if  possible,  mimetic  drills,  etc. 

B.      SPECIAL   SCHOOL   ACTIVITIES 

At  times  the  assembly  exercises  may  be  devoted  to  discussion 
or  presentation  of  the  various  school  activities  or  school  projects 
in  which  the  school  as  a  whole  is  interested.  Such  exercises 
may  be  conducted  by  those  of  the  pupils  especially  interested. 
As  types,  the  following  are  suggested : 

(1)   The  School  .Bank 

Through  talks,  dramatization,  pictures,  the  work  of  the  school 
bank  may  be  presented  to  show  how  the  bank  is  operated,  what  its 
aims  are,  how  it  is  similar  to  a  Savings  Bank,  etc.  In  the  schools 
of  some  cities  a  day  has  been  set  aside  as  'Thrift  Day."  This 
would  relate  itself  to  a  programme  on  the  School  Bank.  The 
following  programme  taken  from  the  National  Education  Asso- 
ciation pamphlet  on  "Thrift"  is  suggestive : 


72  Types  of  Exercises 

THRIFT  DAY  PROGRAM 

1.  Opening  Hymn. 

2.  Reading  of  the  Scriptures— Proverbs  VI,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11; 
XII,  24  and  27;  St.  John  VI,  12. 

3.  Song  by  school. 

4.  Quotations  on  "Thrift." 

First  child:  "Thrift  began  with  civilization.  It  began 
when  men  found  it  necessary  to  provide  for  tomorrow  as 
well  as  for  today.  It  began  long  before  money  was 
invented." — Samuel  Smiles. 

Second  child:  "In  all  conditions  and  circumstances,  well- 
being  is  in  the  power  of  those  who  have  power  over 
themselves." — J.  J.  Gurney. 

Third  child :  "The  most  vital  question  in  America  today  is 
individual  preparedness.  Not  individual  preparedness  for 
war,  but  individual  preparedness  for  anything  that  may 
come."— S.  W.  Straus. 

Fourth  child :  "Temperance  and  thrift  are  virtues  which 
act  and  react  upon  each  other,  strengthening  both,  and 
seldom  found  apart." — Andrew  Carnegie. 
Fifth  child:  "Self-reliance  and  self-denial  will  teach  a 
man  to  drink  out  of  his  own  cistern,  and  eat  his  own 
sweet  bread,  and  to  learn  and  labor  truly  to  get  his  own 
living,  and  carefully  to  save  and  expend  the  good  things 
committed  to  his  trust." 

Sixth  child:  "It  is  not  the  aim  of  thrift  nor  the  duty 
of  men  to  acquire  millions.  Hoarding  millions  is  avarice, 
not  thrift." 

Thirteen  children,  one  following  the  other  quickly. 
Maxims — John  Donough: 
"Remember  always  that  labor  is  one  of  the  conditions  of 

our  existence." 
"Time   is  gold;    throw   not  one  minute   away,  but  place 

each  one  in  account." 

"Do  unto  all  men  as  you  would  be  done  by." 
"Never  put  off  till  tomorrow  what  can  be  done  today." 
"Never  bid  another  do  what  you  can  do  yourself." 
"Never  covet  what  is  not  your  own." 
"Never   think   any   matter    so   trifling  as    not   to   deserve 

notice." 

"Never  give  out  what  does  not  come  in." 
"Do  not  spend,  but  produce." 

"Let  the  greatest  order  regulate  the  actions  of  your  life." 
"Study  in  your  course  of  life  to  do  the  greatest  amount 

of  good." 
"Deprive  yourself   of   nothing  that   is   necessary  to   your 

comfort,  but  live  in  honorable  simplicity  and  frugality." 
"Labor  then  to  the  last  moment  of  your  existence." 

5.  Song— "The  Cricket  and  the  Ant." 

6.  "Our  School  Bank"   (written  by  children). 

Scene  1.  Meeting  of  Directors. 

"     2.  A  new  depositor  wishes  to  make  a  deposit. 
"     3.  Conversation   between   two    children,    the    one 

who  saves  telling  the  other  the  advantages  to 

be  derived. 


Life  of  the  School  as  a  Social  Community  73 

Scene  4.  Several  children  bring  to  the  school  bank  the 

pennies  they  have  saved. 

5.  Several  years  later.    One  young  man  draws  his 
savings  to  pay  his  college  fee. 

OR 

Play — "Going  to  Market."    (Written  by  children  after  read- 
ing circulars  sent  by  Mayor's  Pure  Food  Commission.) 
Scene  1.  Mrs.   Berg  tells   Mrs.  Klein  how  to  purchase) 
successfully.    Her  knowledge  has  been  obtained 
from  the  food  circulars  brought  from  school 
by  her  children. 
"     2.  They  visit  the  meat  shop,  fish  store,  push  carts, 

etc.,  using  the  knowledge  gained. 
"     3.  On  arriving  home  they  find  their  children  ready 
for  school.     This  scene  illustrates  the  training 
received    in    the    Civic    League — dean    shoes, 
hands,  clothes,  etc. 

7.  Recitation— "The   Lady   Bug  and   the   Ant,"  by   Lydia 
Huntley.     Sigourney    (Found   in   Volume   VI    of    "The 
Children's  Hour." — Houghton,  Mifflin  Co.) 

8.  Drill  by  Boys — Showing  a  good  daily  physical  exercise. 

9.  Thrift  resolutions,  about  eight,  written  by  the  children. 
(They  should  be  very  short  and  concise.) 

10.    School  Song — School  and  orchestra. 

(2)  The  School  Paper 

(3)  School  Athletics 

(4)  The  School  Audubon  Society 

Talks  on  kindness  to  birds,  value  of  birds,  birds  in  our  parks, 
our  bird  neighbors,  songs  of  birds,  illustrated  by  slides  and 
phonographic  music. 

C.      SCHOOL  ENTERTAINMENTS 

The  assembly  period  at  times  may  be  devoted  solely  to  enter- 
tainments, especially  with  the  younger  children  on  occasions  such 
as  St.  Valentine's  Day,  Christmas,  etc.  Parties,  song  and  other 
music,  dance,  story-telling,  plays,  singing  games,  shadow  pictures, 
pantomime,  charades,  moving  pictures  may  be  selected  for  the 
program  which  may  be  contributed  by  various  classes  on  differ- 
ent days. 

D.      SPECIAL  GROUP  ACTIVITIES 

The  assembly  period  offers  a  splendid  .opportunity  for  special 
groups  to  bring  before  the  attention  of  the  whole  school  and  to 
share  with  it  the  special  activities  in  which  such  special  groups 
are  engaged.  Such  special  groups  may  include: 


74  Types  of  Exercises 

(1)  The  School  Orchestra 

(2)  The  School  Glee  Club 

These  organizations  may  give  recitals,  musical  programs, 
talks  on  musical  topics,  etc. 

(3)  Literary  and  Debating  Societies 

These  societies  may  conduct  their  meetings  in  regular  fash- 
ion, may  hold  debates,  contribute  literary  programs,  plays, 
etc. 

(4)  Science  Club  or  the  Science  Laboratory  Class 

Such  groups  could  present  programs  centered  around  the 
topics  they  have  taken  up  in  the  classroom  or  around  topics 
of  special  interest,  i.e.,  aeroplanes,  submarines,  bridges,  the 
water  system  of  a  house,  the  history  of  illumination,  and 
other  topics  illustrating  the  application  of  the  laws  of  physics. 
Such  programs  will  consist  of  talks  illustrated  by  pictures 
and  demonstrations. 

(5)  Arts  and  Crafts,  Shops,  etc. 

A  wide  field  of  interesting  and  educational  material  is  to  be 
found  in  the  subject  matter  of  the  shop  activities.  Not  only 
are  the  formal  processes  that  form  the  actual  content  of  the 
subject  of  interest,  but  to  a  greater  degree  the  material  to  be 
found  in  the  history  of  the  development  of  such  processes 
down  to  their  present  stage  presents  much  of  value  and  cul- 
ture. The  history  of  pottery,  the  stages  in  the  development 
of  weaving,  printing,  woodwork,  metal  work,  etc.,  the  whole 
history  of  the  textile  industry  offer  much  material  and  should 
form  the  cultural  background  of  the  formal  instruction.  It  is 
from  such  material  that  selections  may  be  made  for  the 
assembly  exercises. 

(6)  The  Work  of  the  Various  Classes  in  Literature  History, 
Geography,  Nature  Study,  etc. 

Such  regular  class  work  is  a  source  of  material  from  which 
programs  may  be  selected  by  the  respective  classes  for 
presentation  to  the  assembly  exercises  through  song,  recita- 
tion, dramatization  or  lecture.  A  class  that  has  experienced 
particular  interest  in  its  study  of  a  particular  topic  may  desire 
to  pass  on  to  the  school  its  experience  in  a  way  suitable  to 
assembly  conditions. 

In  the  selection  of  such  topics  care  must  be  taken  to  choose 
some  subject  with  which  most  of  the  school  has  had  some 
experience  and  which  is  adapted  to  the  means  available  for 
presentation  to  a  large  group.  Such  presentation  should  be 
more  or  less  informal  and  of  a  volunteer  character.  This 
sharing  of  experience  with  the  whole  school  has  a  socializing 
influence  upon  the  contributors.  Besides  imparting  consider- 
able information,  it  also  stimulates  the  interest  of  the  hearers 
in  the  work  of  other  grades. 


Community  Life  Outside  the  School  75 

3.    COMMUNITY  LIFE  OUTSIDE  THE  SCHOOL* 

The  life  of  the  community  outside  the  school  forms  another 
source  for  topics  for  assembly  exercises.  The  school  reaches  out 
and  touches  in  many  ways  the  life  outside.  The  activities  of  the 
community  vitally  concern  the  children  and  greatly  interest  them. 
The  school  should  relate  its  work  to  such  interests.  It  should 
aim  to  give  the  pupils  some  comprehension  of  the  basic  facts  of 
their  complex  environment,  some  insight  into  the  various 
processes  and  agencies  by  which  the  community  maintains  itself. 
It  should  aim  at  the  development  of  social  and  civic  conscious- 
ness. The  pupils  should  obtain  some  idea  of  their  responsibilities 
as  members  of  the  community.  They  should  develop  a  sense  of 
civic  pride.  These  should  be  the  immediate  aims  of  the  assembly 
exercises  which  take  their  content  from  such  sources.  Some  of 
the  larger  topics  which  may  be  selected  are  as  follows : 

A.      INDUSTRIES  AND  OCCUPATIONS 

This  subject  includes  a  wide  range  of  material  which  may  be 
drawn  upon  for  topics  in  the  assembly  exercises.  In  the  lower 
grades  the  treatment  will  be  informal.  The  children  are  inter- 
ested in  the  persons  who  contribute  to  the  satisfaction  of  their 
needs,  such  as  food,  clothing,  shelter,  fuel,  etc.  The  material 
selected  should  be  determined  on  the  basis  of  the  children's  in- 
terests and  the  resources  of  the  local  environment.  The  funda- 
mental ideas  to  be  developed  are  ethical — the  idea  of  service 
rendered  each  to  each,  the  idea  of  mutual  need,  and  the  idea  of 
the  duties  and  obligations  arising  out  of  such  human  relationships. 
The  exercises  should  aim  at  an  appreciation  of  the  nobility  of 
work  and  a  feeling  of  respect  for  all  occupations  and  for  the 
persons  engaged  in  such  occupations.  The  imparting  of  informa- 
tion is  not  the  prime  purpose.  The  children  probably  know  all  or 
most  of  the  facts  brought  out.  The  following  topics  are  sug- 
gested : 

(1)  How  We  Get  Our  Food 

In  the  lower  grades  this  topic  would  center  about  the  occupa- 
tions or  persons,  such  as  the  baker,  the  butcher,  the  milkman, 
the  grocer,  etc.,  in  which  the  children  are  more  or  less  in- 
terested. Talks  by  the  teacher,  by  the  children,  pictures, 

'Valuable  suggestions  on  this  topic  were  obtained  from  the  syllabus  in  Civics  of 
the  Philadelphia  public  schools. 


76  Types  of  Exercises 

story-telling,  readings,  accounts  of  visits,  would  make  up  the 
program.  In  the  higher  grades  the  exercises  might  consist  of 
illustrated  talks  or  lectures,  compositions  and  readings,  re- 
ports of  excursions,  talks  by  outsiders  engaged  in  such  pur- 
suits. Such  programs  may  consider  topics  such  as  "Need  for 
Food";  "How  the  Various  Products  Are  Obtained";  "How 
Produced";  "How  Transported";  "How  the  City  Guards  the 
Food  Supply"  (Health  Department  slides);  "Pasteurization 
of  Milk"  (films  from  the  milk  companies),  etc.  The  same 
topics  with  reference  to  colonial  times  would  form  a  fruitful 
subject.  The  co-operation  of  the  domestic  science,  the  geog- 
raphy and  the  history  departments  of  the  school  should  be 
obtained. 

(2)  How  We  Are  Sheltered 

The  occupations  of  the  plumber,  carpenter,  painter,  brick- 
layer, etc.,  could  be  taken  up  in  the  same  way  as  with  the 
preceding  topic.  Such  stories  as  Ab,  The  Caveman ;  Tolmi  of 
the  Three  Tops;  The  Cave  Dwellers;  The  Wigwam  Indians, 
and  others  about  log  houses,  Eskimo  igloo,  etc.,  are  suitable 
for  the  lower  grades. 

Song,  story,  description,  picture  and  dramatization  may  be 
employed  with  profit. 

(3)  How  We  Are  Clothed 

(To  be  treated  in  a  similar  manner.) 

(4)  New  York — Its  Industries  and  Occupations 

The  more  formal  treatment  of  this  topic  with  the  upper 
grade  children  should  aim  to  develop  in  the  child  a  proper 
pride  in  his  city  because  of  the  important  part  which  it  plays 
in  the  industrial  world.  It  should  aim  to  give  him  informa- 
tion which  will  help  him  to  select  wisely  an  occupation,  and 
thirdly,  it  should  aim  to  bring  him  to  see  the  desirability  of 
continuing  his  education  as  long  as  possible  so  that  he  may 
become  a  more  intelligent  worker  and  a  better  citizen. 

(a)  Chief  Industries 

Successive  exercises  could  be  devoted  to  a  consideration  of  the 
various  industries  for  which  New  York  is  noted.  Such  would 
include : 

Manufacture  of  men's  clothing 

Printing  and  publishing 

Millinery 

Manufacture  of  jewelry 

Manufacture  of  drugs  and  chemicals 

Manufacture  of  cigars  and  other  tobacco  products 

Manufacture  of  structural  and  architectural  iron  work 

Manufacture  of  automobiles,  wagons,  etc. 

Manufacture  of  pianos,  organs,  etc. 

Manufacture  of  furs  and  fur  goods 

Manufacture  of  leather  goods 

Manufacture  of  soaps,  perfumery,  cosmetics,  etc. 

Manufacture  of  paper  boxes 

Manufacture  of  feathers  and  artificial  flowers 

Commerce  of  the  city. 


Community  Life  Outside  the  School  77 

These  exercises  may  present  the  topic  through  reports  of 
visits,  pictures,  stories,  lectures  by  outsiders,  etc.  Sources  for 
such  illustrated  material  have  been  given  elsewhere.  See  pages 
12-26;  103. 

(fc)  Chief  Occupations 

The  various  occupations  likewise  should  be  considered  at  the 
assembly  periods.  Such  treatment  should  consist  of  talks, 
illustrated  by  lantern  slides  or  moving  pictures  and  should 
present  the  advantages,  disadvantages  of  the  work,  the 
amount  of  training  required,  the  conditions  of  work,  possi- 
bility of  advancement,  material  returns,  possibilities  of  useful 
service  to  the  community,  etc.  An  opportunity  is  presented 
in  such  talks  to  accomplish  something  along  the  lines  of 
vocational  guidance. 
Industrial: 

Carpentry,  bricklaying,  masonry,  painting,  plumbing, 
cabinet-making,  machinist's   trade,  printing,  garment 
work,  electrical  work,  dressmaking,  bookbinding,  etc. 
Commercial: 

Salesmanship,  telephone  operating,  stenography  and 
general  clerical   work,   office   and   messenger   service, 
etc. 
Professional : 

Medicine,  dentistry,  journalism,  nursing,  engineering, 
ministry,  etc. 
Miscellaneous : 

Civil  Service,  domestic  service,  farming,  etc. 

(c)  Additional  topics  under  this  subject  that  may  be  suggested  are: 

How  the  workers  are  protected: 
Safety  first. 

Conditions  of  work: 

Compulsory  education,  employment  certificates,  etc. 

Continuation  education: 

Opportunities,  etc.  The  value  of  continuing  one's 
education  as  long  as  possible  before  going  into  in- 
dustry in  order  to  be  better  fitted  for  a  position  of 
usefulness  should  be  emphasized  as  well  as  the  value 
and  desirability  of  continuing  at  school  after  going 
to  work. 
Ethics  in  business,  etc. 

(d)  Labor  Day 

This  special  day  may  be  commemorated  by  a  festival  which 
would  emphasize  the  significance  of  labor  to  the  community, 
and  exhibit  the  various  arts  and  crafts  and  possibly  show 
their  development  from  the  cruder  processes  of  the  past. 

B.      INSTITUTIONAL  AND  CIVIC  LIFE 

Another  important  phase  of  the  life  of  the  community  is  its 
institutional  and  civic  life.  Many  aspects  of  this  subject  lend 
themselves  readily  both  to  the  aims  and  to  the  conditions  of  the 
assembly  period.  Civic  pride,  individual  responsibility,  an  insight 


Types  of  Exercises 

into  the  city's  government,  and  its  relation  to  the  individual,  in 
short,  good  citizenship,  are  the  aims  of  such  exercises. 

Some  of  the  topics  relating  to  this  subject  are  suggested  in  the 
following : 

(1)  Public  Service 

In  topics  dealing  with  "public  service"  the  emphasis  should  be 
placed  primarily  upon  the  idea  of  service.  The  aim  should  be  to 
give  the  pupils  not  only  a  knowledge  of  the  work  of  the  "public 
servants,"  but  a  kindly  interest  in  them  and  a  desire  to  aid 
in  their  service. 

In  the  lower  grades  the  work  will  center  around  such  persons 
as  the  policeman,  the  fireman,  the  street  cleaner,  etc.  The  exer- 
cises afford  opportunity  for  teaching  ethical  lessons  of  obedience, 
helpfulness,  care  of  property,  self-control,  courage,  fair  play, 
safety,  etc. 

With  the  older  groups  these  aims  should  still  prevail.  The 
treatment  may  be  more  formal,  the  work  correlating  closely  with 
that  of  class  instruction  in  history,  civics,  community  hygiene,  etc. 

Suggested  Topics 

a.  The    Policeman : 

What  the  policeman  does  for  us. 

How  we  may  aid  him. 

Stories  of  police  heroism. 

Honor  Legion. 

Home  Defense  League — Junior  Police. 

(Lecturer  from  Police  Department.) 

(Slides  from  Police  Department.) 
Stories,  lectures,  pictures. 

b.  The  Fireman  : 

Story  of  a  fire — heroic  acts. 

Stories  of  great  fires. 

Fire  Prevention — Safety  First. 

Loss  through  fires,  etc. 

The  fire  house — description  of  apparatus. 

Fire  department  in  Colonial  days. 

Pictures,  lectures,  talks,  pageants. 

Special  Day — Fire  Prevention  Day. 

c.  The  Street  Cleaner: 

Use  of  the  streets. 

Carelessness  the  cause  of  dirty  streets. 

Cleaning  the   streets   a   necessity  for  health. 

Methods  of  cleaning,  etc. 

How  children  may  help  to  keep  streets  clean. 

Anti-Litter  League. 

Colonel  Waring's  work — The  White  Wings. 

Snow  fighters. 

d.  The  Garbage  Collector: 

Garbage  can  covers,  health,  flies. 
City  regulations. 
Disposal  of  garbage. 

e.  The  Water  Supply: 

The  house  supply — uses  in  house,  street,  fires. 


Community  Life  Outside  the  School  79 

High-pressure  system. 

How  the  water  is  brought  into  the  houses — service  pipe, 
street  main. 

Where  the  water  comes  from — water  works,  reservoirs, 
pumps. 

Ashokan  dam,  etc. 

How  the  water  is  made  clean  and  pure. 

Where  the  waste  water  goes. 

Water  supply  in  Colonial  days — river,  stream,  well,  cis- 
terns, pumps,  wooden  pipes. 

Water  pumps  in  country  at  present. 

Artesian  wells. 

Importance  of  water  supply. 

Obligations  against  waste. 

Cost  of  supply,  etc. 

f.  Gas: 

1.  House  supply — uses. 

House  supply — uses. 

How   the   gas   is   brought   into   houses— pipes,   house   pipes, 

meter,  gas  mains,  etc. 
Where  the  gas  comes  from — gas  works,  how  gas  is  made, 

how  stored,  etc. 

How  the  gas  companies  and  employees  serve  all  the  people. 
Care  in  use  of  gas — danger  of  explosion,  fire^  etc. 
Comparison  of  methods  of  lighting  in  Colonial  days. 
History  of  use  of  gas. 

g.  Electricity: 

Uses — lighting,  telephone,  telegraph,  wireless,  street  cars, 

trains,  machinery,  domestic   purposes. 
How  carried — comparison  with  telephone  wires  and  light 

wires  with  gas  pipes,  water  pipes,  etc.;  insulation  and 

inspection. 
Sources — visit   to   power   house.     Services    rendered   by 

men  engaged  in  such  work — linemen,  perils  in  time  of 

storm. 

Dangers — Safety  First ;  touching  fallen  wires  in  street. 
History  of — Franklin  and  kite,  etc. 
h.  Telephone : 

Invention  of. 
Usefulness. 

Operation  of — How  messages  are  carried. 
Telephone  exchanges,  visit  to. 

How  we  may  help  those  who  are  rendering  this  service. 
Correct  method  of  using  the  telephone, 
i.   Transportation    Lines : 

Subways,  elevated,  street  lines. 
Extent  of  service;  rush  hours. 
When  built,  etc. 

Dangers,  boarding  or  leaving  cars,  stealing  rides,  etc. 
j.   Health  Department: 

How  the  Health  Department  guards  our  food  supply. 

City  health  regulations — quarantine. 

Special  days— "Fresh-Air  Week,"  "Clean-Up    Week." 

(2)  The  City  Government 

a.  Form,  constitution,  officials,  functions. 

b.  Meeting  of  Board  of  Aldermen. 


80  Types  of  Exercises 

c.  How  an  ordinance  is  passed. 

d.  City  taxes — budgets. 

e.  Work  of  different  departments    (already  outlined). 

These  topics  would  correlate  closely  with  the  work  in  civics. 

(3)  Public  Institutions 

The  school. 

Public  libraries,  Hospitals. 
Museums — Art,  Natural  History,  Aquarium. 

Opportunities  offered  for  free  education,  for  continuing  education 
after  leaving  school — in  evenings,  etc. 

C.      HISTORY  OF  NEW  YORK  CITY 

In  the  history  of  the  community  is  to  be  found  a  splendid 
source  for  topics  for  assembly  exercises.  Exercises  based  on 
such  topics  will  do  much  to  stimulate  patriotic  pride  in  the  com- 
munity, in  its  history,  in  the  deeds  of  its  founders  and  early 
settlers,  in  the  place  it  has  occupied  in  the  nation's  history.  New 
York  has  played  a  large  part  in  the  life  of  the  nation.  Its  history 
is  full  of  inspiring  events,  deeds  of  courage,  examples  of  patriot- 
ism, self-sacrifice  and  service. 

Suggested  Topics 

New  York  Under  the  Dutch : 

Discovery  of  Hudson  River — Hendrick  Hudson. 

Purchase  and  settlement  of  Manhattan  Island. 

Relations  with  the  Indians. 

Peter  Stuyvesant. 

Life  in  New  Amsterdam. 
New  York  Under  the  English : 

Life  in  Colonial  New  York. 
New  York  During  the  Revolution : 

How  the  Stamp  Act  was  received  in  New  York. 

The  Liberty  Boys. 

Liberty  Pole. 

Marinus  Willett. 

Battle  of  Long  Island. 

Battle  of  Harlem  Heights. 

Mrs.  Murray's  Dinner  Party. 

Evacuation  Day. 
New  York  Since  the  Revolution : 

Alexander  Hamilton. 

Aaron  Burr. 

Inauguration  of  Washington. 

Robert  Fulton  and  steamboat. 

Clinton  and  Erie  Canal. 

Ericsson  and  Monitor. 
Landmarks  in  New  York. 
New  York  at  Present: 

Bridges. 

Transportation — railroads,  boats. 


The  World  of  Nature  31 

Harbor. 

Large  buildings. 

Parks. 

Museums. 

Many  of  the  above  mentioned  topics  lend  themselves  to  treat- 
ment suitable  for  auditorium  work.  Through  dramatic  expres- 
sion in  various  forms,  festival,  pageant,  play;  through  stories, 
compositions,  readings,  lectures  and  lantern  pictures  much  can 
be  done  to  give  the  pupils  a  vivid  idea  of  the  life  of  New  York 
in  earlier  days  and  a  familiarity  with  the  lives  of  its  citizens  of 
the  past  who  reflected  the  spirit  of  the  times.  Such  exercises 
will  go  far  to  create  a  civic  pride  and  consciousness. 

4.    THE  WORLD  OF  NATURE 

Another  large  field  of  vital  interest  to  the  child  is  the  world  of 
nature  in  which  he  lives.  This  field  will  yield  many  topics  of 
interest  and  value  upon  which  to  base  assembly  exercises. 

In  this  connection  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  assembly 
work  in  this  subject  cannot  take  the  place  of  classroom  work  in 
nature  study,  geography,  natural  science,  etc.,  or  other  subjects 
of  the  course  of  study  that  deal  with  different  aspects  of  the 
natural  environment  or  of  the  more  important  experience  gained 
through  contact  with  and  observation  of  nature  in  its  manifold 
forms.  As  a  supplement,  the  assembly  exercises  find  a  valuable 
place. 

1.  Inspirational — Aesthetic.  'One  of  the  values  which  may  be 
subserved  by  assembly  exercises  centered  on  nature  topics  is  the 
aesthetic.    Through  such  exercises  the  pupil  can  be  led  to  appre- 
ciate the  beauties  of  nature.     As  already  stated,  such  exercises 
cannot  take  the  place  of  actual  contact  and   observation,  but 
frequently  where  actual  observation  is  impossible  the  assembly 
exercises,  through  its  lantern  pictures,  etc.,  may  be  the  only  means 
available  to  bring  within  the  experience  of  the  child  many  of  the 
forms  of  nature. 

2.  Ethical.     The  study  of  nature  leads  to  a  sympathy  and 
love  for  animal  life.    "The  study  of  the  wonderful  things  of  the 
world,  their  beautiful  fitness  for  their  existence  and  functions,  the 
remarkable  progressive  tendency  of  all  organic  life  and  the  unity 
that  prevails  in  it,  create  admiration  in  the  beholder  and  tend  to 


32  Types  of  Exercises 

his  spiritual  uplifting.     He  feels  a  wonderful  reverence  for  the 
wonderful  universe  and  its  mysterious  forces." 

3.  Besides  the  aesthetic  and  ethical  values  already  cited,  the 
study  of  nature  gives  the  individual  much  information  of  an 
economic  and  social  value.  It  gives  him  an  understanding  of 
human  activities  in  relation  to  the  natural  environment.  It  gives 
him  knowledge  of  the  value  of  the  animal  and  plant  life  to  man. 
It  gives  him  a  knowledge  of  those  forms  of  nature  which  are 
menaces  to  human  life — insect  pests,  noxious  weeds,  bacterial 
diseases,  injurious  animals.  It  gives  him  certain  scientific  in- 
formation. He  learns  the  habits  of  animals,  their  life  histories, 
etc. 

SUGGESTED  TOPICS 
Scenery: 
The  Natural  Wonders  of  America 

Up  the  Hudson. 

The  Adirondack  Mountains. 

Mount  Washington  and  the  White  Mountains. 

Niagara  Falls. 

Yellowstone  Park. 

Yosemite  Valley. 

Pike's  Peak. 

Colorado  Canyon,  etc. 
Through  British  Columbia. 
The  Rhine  Valley. 
The  Alps. 

The  Lake  District  of  England. 
The  Scotch  Highlands,  etc. 
Haunts  of  nature. 
Nature  walks  in  our  city  parks. 

Animal  Life : 

Our  common  birds — their  life,  work  and  natural  enemies. 

Birds    in   our  city  parks. 

Knowing  our  wild  birds. 

Bird  music — songs   and  calls. 

Wild  birds — photographing. 

The  economic  value  of  birds. 

The  protection  and  preservation  of  birds. 

Bird  day — Audubon  Societies,  their  work,  aim,  etc. 

Snakes — habits,  etc. ;  economic  importance. 

Life  of  the  sea — fishes,  habits,  homes,  etc. 

Insect   life — The   house   fly,   mosquitoes ;   insects,   beautiful   and 

beneficial;  bees,  butterflies,  etc. 
Fur-bearing  animals. 
The  winter  life  of  animals. 
Wild  life   near  home. 
Large  animals  of  North  America. 
The  necessity  for  the  preservation  of  wild  life. 
New  York  Zoological  Garden. 


Art,  Literature,  Music  83 

Plant  Life: 
Forests   and   forestry. 
How  to  recognize  our  common  trees. 
The  trees  of  our  city. 
The  life  history  of  a  tree. 
Harvesting  the   forest  crop. 
Night  in  the  forest. 

The  work  of  the  U.  S.  Forestry  Department. 
Forest  fires. 

Conservation  of  natural  resources. 
The  wild  flowers. 
The    common    flowers. 
Strange  plant  life. 
Tropical  plants. 
The  New  York  Botanical  Gardens. 

Famous  Naturalists  : 
Burroughs,  Luther  Burbank,  Audubon,  etc. 

The  City  Beautiful: 
The  city's  parks. 
Trees  of   our  city's   streets. 

Physiographic : 
Erosion. 

Rivers — old  and  young. 
Geysers. 
Glaciers. 
The  continental  ice  sheet,  etc. 

Seasonal  Changes : 
The  solar  system. 
Spring,    Summer,   Fall,   Winter. 

(The  festival  offers  an  effective  way  of  celebrating  the  days — such 
as  May  Day,  Thanksgiving  or  Christmas — which  mark  the  seasons' 
changes.) 

5.  THE:  WORLD  OF  ART,  LITERATURE,  Music 
Art,  literature,  music  are  media  of  expression  for  the  ideals  of 
the  race.  Through  such  media  education  fulfills  its  inspirational 
and  recreative  aims.  The  assembly  period  may  well  base  many  of 
its  exercises  on  topics  chosen  from  this  field.  Through  the  use 
of  such  media  the  assembly  exercises  may  play  their  part  in  in- 
spiring the  children  with  proper  ideals,  in  giving  them  a  love  for 
the  beautiful,  higher  tastes  and  in  enabling  them  to  seek  recreation 
upon  a  higher  plane. 

SUGGESTED  TOPICS 

Art,  Painting,  Sculpture,  etc. 

How  to  enjoy  pictures. 

Picture  talks  on  the  work  of  famous  painters — i.  e.,  Angelo,  Rubens, 
Rembrandt,  Millet,  Reynolds,  etc. 


84 


Types  of  Exercises 


Famous  American  painters. 

The  paintings  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum. 

Greek  and  Roman  Sculpture,  etc. 

Biographical  talks  on  "Famous  Artists" — The  lectures  or  talks  should 
be  illustrated. 

NOTE:  As  already  stated,  through  co-operation  with  the  Museum 
of  Art  and  the  School  Art  League,  the  schools  may  obtain  the  services 
of  skilled  lecturers  on  art  topics,  or  assistance  in  the  preparation  of 
illustrated  lectures. 

Music 

The  following  programs  arranged  in  Public  School  64  are 
suggestive : 

TOPIC 

1.  The  Meaning  of  Mu- 
sic— Another  means 
of  expressing  emo- 
tion. 


2.  Range  of  the  Human 
Voice  —  Male  and 
female. 


3.  The  Phonograph— Me- 
chanical possibilities, 
reproducing  musical 
sounds  of  instru- 
ments, the  human 
voice  and  other 
sounds. 


4.  National    Song    Pro- 
gramme. 


RECORDS    SUGGESTED 

Sadness,  Clegie :  Alma  Gluck  and  Zimbalist. 

Sunshine  Song — Lucy  Marsh. 

Ase's  Tod. 
to  Joy:  Tarantella — Caruso. 

Tigaro's  Song,  from  Barber  of  Seville — 
Amato. 

Male— Adult 
Tenor  :     Killarney — McCormack. 

The  Trumpeter — McCormack. 
Baritone  :  Toreador   Song — Amato. 
Bass:   Air  du  Tambour — Plancon. 
Major  Tambour. 

Male — Juvenile 
Counter  Tenor:    Master  Wm.  Pickel. 

Female 
Soprano:    Caro  Home — Melba. 

Carry    Me    Back    to    Old    Vir- 

ginny — Alma  Gluck. 

Contralto :  I  Have  Lost  My  Eurydice,  from 
Orfeo — Louise  Homer. 

Violin  :    Schubert's   Serenade — Mischa 

Elman. 

Cello:  Traumerei — Victor  Sorlin. 
Trumpet:    The  Trumpeter — McCormack. 
Cornet :  Sousa's  cornets,  etc. 
Harp:    Gavotte  in  !B  Minor,  and  Romance 

— Asa  Sasolli. 

Flute :    Andalouse — John  Lemmone. 
Piano:    Butterfly— La  Forge. 
Full    Orchestra:      Forge    in    the    Forest— 

Pryor's  Band. 

Temple  Bells:    My  Old  Kentucky  Home— 
Chimes. 

Irish -Songs  :    Killarney — McCormack. 

Kathleen  Mavourneen  —  Mc- 
Cormack. 

Irish  Love  Song — Alma  Gluck. 
Irish  Reel:  Irish  Immigrants — McCormack. 


Art,  Literature,  Music 


85 


5.  A  Game — Ten  boys  are 
on  the  platform,  each 
with  pencil  and  pa- 
per. Part  of  a  rec- 
ord is  played  and  the 
boys  write  its  title. 
Repeat,  using  eight 
or  ten  different  rec- 
ords. Judges  count 
at  finish  to  see  which 
boy  has  recognized 
all  records.  The  other 
children  in  auditor- 
ium get  pleasure  lis- 
tening to  records 
and  watching  the 
players^  The  game 
is  practical  if  records 
are  those  with  which 
children  are  familiar. 


Any  of  the  familiar  records:  Killarney, 
The  Blue  Danube,  Songs  of  all  Nations, 
Songs  of  America,  Annie  Laurie,  Salley  in 
Our  Alley,  Minstrel  Boy,  Hawaiian  Love 
Song,  Marche  Slav,  Flow  Gently  Sweet 
Afton,  William  Tell,  The  Arrow  and  the 
Song. 


6.  Vocal     Music — Famil- 
iar songs. 


7.  Instrumental  Music — 
Suggested :  Traum- 
erei ;  Mendelssohn's 
Spring  Song  and 
Songs  Without 
Words ;  Humoresque 
—  Dvorak;  Anvil 
Chorus;  Beethoven's 
Sonatas. 


Vocal  and  instrumental  music  might  be 
used  in  the  following  manner :  For  in- 
stance, take  some  familiar  song;  give  short 
account  of  the  composer  and  author  (if 
noted)  and  conditions  under  which  words 
and  music  were  written.  Then  have  a  boy 
or  a  selected  group  of  boys  sing  the  song. 
For  such  songs  as  The  Star  Spangled  Ban- 
ner, tell  the  story  of  Key  seeing  the  bom- 
bardment of  the  fort  and  the  flag  flying 
through  smoke,  etc.  For  Killarney,  picture 
the  beauties  of  the  lake  and  the  poet's  love 
for  his  country.  For  My  Old  Kentucky 
Home,  tell  stories  of  darky  life,  etc. 

Treat  instrumental  music  in  the  same 
way.  Select  some  compositions  with  which 
people  should  be  familiar.  For  instance,  a 
simple  sonata  might  be  chosen  and  the 
different  movements  illustrated — Allegro, 
Andante  or  Adagio,  Scherzo  or  Minuet, 
Rondo. 


SUGGESTED  TOPICS  OR  EXERCISES 

Folk  songs  and  ballads  of  Southern  Europe. 

Folk  songs  and  ballads  of  Scotland. 

Famous  songs  of  the  British  Isles. 

Folk  songs  of  Northern  Europe. 

Norse  legends  and  folk  songs. 

Songs  of  Shakespeare. 

Songs  of   Burns. 

Irish   and   Scotch   ballads. 


86  Types  of  Exercises 

Irish  life  in  song  and  story. 

Folk  songs  of   Germany. 

America  in  song  and  story. 

Our  national  songs — How  they  came  to  be  written. 

Patriotic  songs  and  war  songs. 

Stories  of  the  opera  and  music  dramas,  with  selections. 

Great  classical  composers. 

The  violin  and  violin  music. 

The  story  of  the  harp. 

Literature 

1.  Literary   exercises   based  upon   the   work   of   certain   authors — i.  e., 

Tennyson,  Browning,  Scott,  Burns,  Stevenson,  Kipling,  Long- 
fellow, Field,  Lanier,  Riley,  etc.  The  programme  may  consist  of 
accounts  of  the  life  of  the  author,  illustrated  by  pictures;  or 
original  compositions  by  pupils,  recitation  of  poems  or  passages 
from  his  work  to  illustrate  traits  of  character  or  incidents  of  his 
career;  dramatization  of  selected  work,  etc.  Such  exercises 
would  be  especially  suitable  upon  occasion  such  as  anniversaries 
of  the  birthday  of  the  author,  etc. 

2.  Story  telling. 

3.  Favorite  books — books  we  have  read. 

4.  Spontaneous  stories,  or  spontaneous  poetry  exercises  (entire  school). 

For  such  exercises  the  children  make  no  special  preparation. 
Announcement  is  made  the  day  before  that  a  "Favorite  Poem 
Exercise"  will  be  held  the  next  day.  A  great  deal  of  the  success 
of  such  exercises  depends  upon  the  preparation  made  by  the 
leader.  He  must  familiarize  himself  with  the  work  in  poetry 
that  the  children  have  had  in  the  classroom,  etc.  At  the  assembly 
exercise  he  may  begin  a  poem,  giving  the  first  line,  and  then  call 
upon  the  children  of  the  Fifth  Grade  to  finish  it.  The  Fifth 
Grade  pupil  arises  and  perhaps  finishes  the  poem.  He  may  be 
able  to  recite  only  a  few  lines.  Another  Fifth  Grade  pupil  will 
try  to  continue,  and  so  on.  Another  selection  is  started,  this 
time  from  the  "memory  gems"  of  a  lower  grade.  The  leader 
may  call  for  a  poem  from  some  poet — i.  e.,  Stevenson,  Riley, 
Longfellow,  etc.  Another  phase  is  for  the  leader  to  call  for 
volunteers  to  begin  a  poem.  The  aim  is  to  have  the  poetry 
recalled. 

5.  Dramatizations,  plays,  etc.     The  presentation  of   selected  plays  or 

the  dramatization  of  literary  selections. 

6.    THE  LIFE  OF  THE  NATION 

The  life  of  our  nation  in  its  various  aspects  forms  another 
large  subject  from  which  topics  may  be  selected  for  assembly 
programs.  The  exercises  based  upon  such  topics  will  serve  the 
aims  of  the  assembly;  inspirational,  recreative  and  interpretive. 
They  will  serve  to  arouse  a  national  consciousness,  a  feeling  of 
national  pride  and  patriotism,  a  due  appreciation  of  what  we  owe 
to  those  who  have  gone  before  us.  They  will  stir  up  a  desire  to 
serve  the  country. 


The  Life  of  the  Nation  87 

A.      HISTORICAL 

One  important  source  of  topic  is  the  history  of  the  country. 
The  assembly  exercises  cannot  pretend  to  take  the  place  of  proper 
history  study  in  the  class  room.  The  work  in  the  assembly  will, 
however,  supplement  the  class  work  to  a  very  great  extent.  It 
will  deal  chiefly  with  the  representative  side  of  the  subject.  The 
representative  phase  of  history  seeks  to  give  the  pupil  concrete, 
vivid  pictures  of  historical  events  and  persons.  It  appeals  to  the 
imagination.  It  arouses  his  interest  in  the  acts  and  actors  that 
history  reproduces.  It  has  an  ethical  influence.  The  pupil  lives 
over  again  the  scenes  portrayed.  His  sympathies  and  admiration 
are  aroused  for  the  men  who  struggled  and  made  sacrifices  for  a 
just  cause.  This  phase  of  history  furnishes  an  essential  back- 
ground for  the  more  formal  study  of  the  subject  in  which  the 
judgment  forms  the  more  prominent  part.  The  representative 
side  of  the  subject  lends  itself  to  treatment  according  to  the 
means  at  hand  in  assembly  exercises,  i.e.,  story,  lecture,  pictures, 
dramatizations. 

SOME  SUGGESTED  TOPICS 

NOTE  :  The  syllabus  in  history  and  civics  is  very  suggestive  of 
topics  suitable  for  auditorium  exercises. 

Persons,  Events,  Customs,  Institutions,  etc. 

Columbus  and  the  Finding  of  America — The  Boyhood  of  Columbus; 

Columbus  at  the  Court  of  Spain,  etc. 
Champlain  and  the  Father  of  New  France: 
La  Salle. 
Marquette. 
Joliet. 

Henry  Hudson  and  the  Half  Moon. 
Sir  Francis  Drake  Who  Sailed  the  Spanish  Main. 
Sir  Walter  'Raleigh  Who  Tried  to  Plant  a  Colony. 
Captain  John  Smith,  the  Founder  of  Jamestown. 
Pocahontas. 

The  Landing  of  the  Pilgrims. 
Captain  Miles  Standish,  the  Pilgrim  Soldier. 
The  First  Thanksgiving. 
Squanto  and  Samoset,  the  Good  Indians. 
Roger  Williams,  the  Founder  of  Rhode  Island. 
King  Philip,  the  Bad  Indian. 
Captain  Kidd,  the  Pirate. 

Peter  Stuyvesant  and  the  Defense  of  New  Amsterdam. 
William  Penn  and  the  Great  Treaty. 
Colonial  Life  in  Virginia. 
Colonial  Life  in  New  York. 
Colonial  Life  in  New  Amsterdam. 


Types  of  Exercises 

Colonial  Life  in  New   England. 

(Food,   houses,    clothing,    games,    sports,    methods    of   punishment, 

schools,  etc.     Travel,  witchcraft.) 
George  Washington. 

George  Washington  in  the  French  and  Indian  War. 
Evangeline,  The  Story  of. 
Montcalm,  the  Defender  of  Canada. 
General  Wolfe,  the  Hero  of  Quebec. 
Braddock's  Defeat. 
Benjamin  Franklin. 

Samuel  Adams,  the  Firebrand  of  the  Revolution. 
The  Boston  Massacre. 
The  Boston  Tea  Party. 
Paul  Revere,  the  Courier  of  the  Revolution. 
The  Liberty  Boys. 
Reception  of  the  Stamp  Act. 
Patrick  Henry. 

Lexington  and  the  Minute  Men. 
Nathan  Hale. 

Declaration  of  Independence. 
Stark  and  His  Green  Mountain  Boys. 
Lafayette,  the  Friend  of  America. 
Daniel  Morgan  and  His  Sharpshooters. 
Francis  Marion,  the  Swamp  Fox. 
Israel  Putnam. 

Light  Horse  Harry,  the  Cavalry  Captain. 
Valley  Forge. 
Betsy  Ross. 
Nathaniel  Greene. 

Jennie  McCrea  and  Burgoyne's  Allies. 
Mad  Anthony  Wayne  and  the  Storming  of  Stony  Point. 
Benedict  Arnold  and  Andre. 
Paul  Jones  and  His  Great  Sea  Fight. 
Yorktown. 
Thomas  Jefferson. 
Alexander  Hamilton. 
Aaron  Burr. 
Daniel  Boone. 
George  Rogers  Clark. 
X  Y  Z  Papers. 
Lewis  &  Clark. 
Annexation  of  Louisiana. 
Decatur  and  the  Barbary  Pirates. 
Jackson. 
Perry. 
Lawrence. 
Slavery — Slave   life,   clothing,   houses,    food,   families,   recreation,   old 

age,   sickness   and    death,   slaves   at   work,   punishment,   privileges, 

sale,  auction,  fugitives,  insurrection. 
Westward  Expansion. 
Robert  Fulton— Steamboat. 
Erie   Canal. 

Means  of  Transportation. 
Henry  Clay. 

Daniel  Webster— Debates. 
Indian  Wars — Black  Hawk.    Seminole. 
Texas  and  Annexation. 
Abolitionist  Movement — Riots.     Wm.   Lloyd  Garrison;   Lovejoy,   etc. 


Life  of  the  Nation  89 

"54—40  or  Fight." 

Mexican  War— Taylor,  Scott,  etc. 

Discovery  of  Gold. 

The  Fugitive  Slave  Act. 

The   Underground   Railroad. 

The   Kansas    Struggle. 

John  Brown's  Raid. 

Abraham   Lincoln. 

Attack  on  Fort  Sumter. 

Battles  of  the  Civil  War. 

Heroes  of  the  Civil  War — Lee,  Grant,   Sherman,  Thomas,   Farragut. 

Ericcson — The  Monitor  and  the  Merrimac. 

Battle  of  Gettysburg. 

The  Gettysburg  Address. 

Sherman's  March  from  Atlanta  to  the  Sea. 

Lee's   Surrender. 

Heroes  of  the  War  with  Spain — Schley,  Sampson,  Dewey,  Roosevelt, 

Funston. 
Our  Flag — Its  Story.     (A  very  suggestive  bulletin  on  Memorial  Day 

and    Flag    Day,    giving    sources,    typical    exercises,    etc.,    has    been 

issued    by    the    Superintendent    of     Public    Instruction,    Illinois, 

Circular  No.  119.) 

B.      INDUSTRIAL  LIFE 

The  industrial  life  of  the  country  is  another  source  for  many 
topics  for  assembly  exercises.  In  part  such  topics  were  already 
considered  under  "Life  of  the  Community."  Exercises  based  on 
such  topics  would  supplement  the  class  instruction  in  giving  the 
pupils  a  proper  perspective  toward  the  industries  of  the  country, 
an  idea  of  the  country's  great  natural  resources,  and  of  the  place 
it  occupies  in  the  industrial  life  of  the  world. 

Topics  should  be  selected  that  will  lend  themselves  to  effective 
treatment  with  the  means  at  hand  in  auditorium  work. 

1.  The  exercises  may  take  for  subjects  the  various  products 
of  industry  with  which  the  pupils  come  into  daily  contact.  For 
instance,  "cotton  cloth"  may  be  selected.  The  exercises  based  on 
such  topics  may  follow  the  causal  sequence.  First  the  cultivation 
of  cotton  is  considered  with  explanation  of  the  various  steps  and 
factors  involved  (agriculture)  ;  second,  the  baling  and  shipment  of 
the  cotton  to  the  mills  (commerce)  ;  third,  the  processes  of  spin- 
ning, weaving,  dyeing,  etc.  (manufacture)  ;  last,  the  shipment  and 
sale  of  the  product  and  its  final  uses  (commerce).  This  sequence 
shows  a  series  of  steps  involving  the  adapting  of  means  to  ends 
at  every  step.  It  emphasizes  the  causal  relation. 


90  Types  of  Exercises 

TOPICS  THAT  MAY  BE  SUGGESTED 
Cotton — 

1.  Raising   and    picking — Soil,    climate,    negro    labor.      The    cotton 

gin,  baling,  cotton  seed,  cotton-seed  oil. 

2.  Shipment  by  rail  and  steamboat  to  New  England,  Europe,  etc. 

New   Orleans  and   Cuba,   wharves,   levees,   etc. 

3.  Manufacture — In  New  England  as  a  type.    Use  of  water  power 

and    steam.      Spinning,    spinning    jenny,    etc.,    weaving;    the 
power  loom.    Mill  operatives,  their  homes,  mode  of  life. 

4.  Use  of  product. 

5.  History — Cotton  cultivation,  of  spinning,  weaving.     Cotton  cul- 

tivation in  other  countries.    Eli  Whitney  and  cotton  gin. 
Wool— 

Sheep   raising. 

Ranches. 

Shepherds. 

Producing  areas. 

Shearing  the  sheep. 

Transporting  wool  to  railroads,  etc. 

Shipment  to  manufacture  region. 

Manufacture,  similar  to  cotton. 

Final  uses. 

Other   wool-producing  regions  of  the   world. 

Shepherds'  life. 

Carpets,  rugs,  etc. 

Wheat— 

Wheat  raising. 

Region  in  the  United  States. 

Soil,  climate. 

Ploughing. 

Threshing. 

Sowing,  reaping. 

Use  of  machinery. 

Storing,   shipping,  rail,  boat. 

Grain  elevators. 

Centers  for  shipping. 

Milling — Flour   milling ;   transportation ;   uses. 

Other  wheat  areas  in  the  world. 

Sugar — 

1.  Areas  of  sugar  production  in   the  south. 
Sugar  cane  and  the  cane  fields. 
Planting;  harvesting. 

Sugar  mill ;  boiling  down  sap. 
Refining  sugar  and  shipment 

2.  Beet  sugar — 

Raising  beets. 

Extracting    juices,    slicing,    steaming,    diffusion,    evaporation, 

crystallization   and   refining. 
Shipment  and  sale. 

3.  Maple  sugar — 

Tapping  trees. 
Collecting  sap. 
Boiling  and  refining. 

4.  Other  regions   of  world  producing  sugar. 


Life  of  the  Nation  91 

Fruit  Growing — 

1.    California  and  Florida. 

Orange  groves,  pineapples,  peaches,  etc. 
Dangers    from    frosts   and   means   of   protection. 
Shipment  to  markets — northern  and  Eastern. 
2.    Other  fruit-growing  regions   of  the   United   States. 
The    Oyster   Fisheries — 

The  processes  of  growing  and  gathering  oysters. 

Oyster  farms  in  Long  Island  Sound  and  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay. 

Packing  and   shipping   of   oysters. 

Columbia  River  and  Salmon  Fisheries — 
Salmon  going  up  the  river. 
Catching. 
Canning. 

Cod  Fisheries — 
Regions   for. 
Fishing  schooner. 
The  Banks. 
Methods  of  catching. 
Dressing  down  the  fish. 
Dangers. 
Drying  the  fish. 
Shredded  cod  fish. 

Meat— 

1.  Stock  raising  in   the  corn-producing   states. 

Pasturing  of  cattle. 
Winter  feeding. 
Shipment  to  packing  centers. 
Centers. 

2.  Cattle  ranching. 

Regions. 

The  cattle  ranch. 
Cowboys,  duties,  life,  sports. 
The  round-up,  branding,   etc. 
Shipment  of  live  stock. 

3.  Slaughter  houses;  meat  packing. 

Cattle  pens. 
Abattoirs. 
Shipment  of  meat. 
Refrigerator  cars. 

Tobacco  Raising  in  Virginia  and  Kentucky — 
Steps  in  the  cultivation  of  the  crop. 
Soil  and  effects  of  tobacco  culture  on  the  soil. 
Shipment. 
Manufacture. 

Centers  of  production  in  other  countries. 
History  of  tobacco  raising  in  U.  S. 

Coal— 

Description  of  coal  mine. 

Sinking  the  shaft,  difficulties  and  expense. 

Ventilation  of  a  coal  mine — necessity  for  it. 

Dangers  in  mining — caving  in,  floods,  explosions,  fires. 


Types  of  Exercises 

Coal  breaker — in  hard  coal  regions. 

Machinery  for  hoisting,  pumping. 

Location  and  extent  of  coal  fields  in  Pennsylvania. 

Other  coal  fields  in  the  U.  S. 

Relation  of  coal  production  to  manufacturing,  commerce,  domestic 

use. 

Shipment  by  water  and  rail. 
Cities  as  centers  of  shipment  and  use. 

Lumbering — 

The  pineries  and  lumbering  on  the  upper  Mississippi. 
Logging  camp  in  winter. 
Uses  of  the  snow. 

Skidding  and  log  piles  on  the  banks  of  streams. 
Melting  snow  and  rafting  of  the  spring. 
Saw  mills  and  planing  mills. 
Forest  fire  and  great  losses. 
Lumber  ports,  etc. 

Hardwood   forests  of  the  Ohio  Valley.     The  original   forests   of 
this  region. 

Labor  of  the  pioneers  in  clearing— game,  hardships,  log  houses. 

Bad  roads. 

Present  forests. 

Lumber  business. 

Saw  mills. 

Kinds  of  lumber. 

Effects  of  the  destruction  of  the  forests. 
The  forests  of  Washington  and  the  Pacific  slope. 
Lumbering  among  the  big  trees. 
Climatic  conditions  favorable  to  forests. 
Shipment  of  lumber. 
Comparison  with  lumbering  in  other  parts  of  the  U.  S. 

Gold  Mining — 

Discovery  of  gold  in  California. 
History. 
Placer  mining. 

Going  down  into  a  gold  mine. 
Machinery. 

Stamp  mills  and  smelters. 

Gold  producing  in  Colorado  and  other  western  states. 
Uses  of  gold  at  the  Mint  and  in  manufacturing. 
Comparisons     with     other     regions — Klondike,     Australia,     South 
Africa. 

Iron  and  Steel — 

The  iron  mines  of  Michigan. 

Location   and   description  of   iron   mines. 

Great    ore    docks — loading    of    ships,    transportation    to    centers — 

Chicago,  Cleveland,  Detroit,  etc. 
Relation  of  iron  mines  to  coal  mines. 
The  blast  furnace — 

Structure  of  furnace. 

Coke,   lime,  ore. 

Heating  and  smelting. 

Drawing  the  molten  metal — pig  iron. 

Uses  ^  of    pig    iron    in    manufacture — for    railroad    iron,    stoves, 
bridges,  guns. 


Life  of  the  Nation  93 

Location  of  blast  furnaces  at  Pittsburgh,   Cleveland,   Birming- 
ham, Chicago,  etc. 

Manufacture  of  Steel  and  Wrought  Iron — 

Their  uses  in  machine  shops,  in  the  manufacture  of  guns,  firearms, 
cutlery,  nails  and  wire,  tools  and  implements,  in  bridges,  ship- 
building and  house  construction. 

Importance  of  iron  industries  and  their  close  relation  to  all  other 
industries  in  our  modern  age. 

2.     The  exercises  may  take  for  subjects  the  industry  as  a  unit 
rather  than  the  product,  i.e., 

A  gricu  Iture — 

Methods  and  machinery  used. 

Work  on  new  farms,  clearing  the  land,  blasting  tree  stumps  and 

rocks  with  dynamite. 
Irrigation — rainfall. 
Ploughing. 
Sowing. 
Reaping. 
Thrashing. 

Modern  methods  of  mowing,  haying. 
Methods  of  farming  in  earlier  days. 

Ranching — 

Life  on  a  ranch. 

Sheep  ranching. 

Cattle  ranching. 

Ranching  in  different  parts  of  the  world. 

Mining — 

Methods  of. 

Coal. 

Gold. 

Silver. 

Copper. 

Sat* 

Commerce — 

Methods  of  transportation — 

Loading,  unloading. 
Railways,  main  routes,  etc. 
Rivers  and  canals — 

Commerce  on  the  Great  Lakes,  on  the  Mississippi,  etc. 

The  Erie  Canal— AYelland  Canal,  etc. 
Ocean  transportation — 

Ocean  liners. 

Harbors — seaports. 

Routes. 

The  Panama  Canal. 
The  protection  of  commerce. 

Communication — 
The  telephone. 
The  telegraph. 
The  cable. 
Wireless. 


94  Types  of  Exercises 

3.  The  exercises  may  be  based  on  the  region  as  a  center,  i.e., 

The  industries  of  New  England. 

The  Mississippi  Valley. 

The  industries  of  the  Gulf  States. 

The  products  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Region. 

Chicago  as  a  trade  center. 

The  Harbor  of  New  York. 

C.      NATIONAL  GOVERNMENT 

Suggested  Topics 

1.  The  National  Government,  branches  of,  etc. 

Congress. 

President. 

Judiciary. 

How  the  President  is  elected. 
Disputed  elections. 

2.  The  work  of  the  executive  departments. 

The  work  of  the  U.   S.  Foresters. 

The  U.  S.  Reclamation  Service. 

The  U.  S.  Fisheries  Department. 

The  Postal  Service. 

The  mails  in  earlier  days. 

The  Lighthouse   service — Lighthouses. 

The  U.  S.  Life  Saving  Corps. 

How  the  Weather  Bureau  serves  agriculture,  commerce. 

Life  in  the  U.  S.  Army — Types  of  service,  opportunities,  etc. 

Our  Navy — at  present. 

Types  of  vessels. 

Famous  ships  of  the  past. 

Our  naval  heroes. 

West  Point  and  Annapolis  Academies. 
The  U.  S.  Treasury  Department. 
The  Indian  Service. 

3.  Our  Immigrants — 

Home  in  Europe — Departure  for  U.  S. 

Passport  regulations — examination. 

Quarters  on  steamer. 

Quarantine. 

Ellis  Island. 

The  immigrant  at  work. 

Naturalization. 


95 


V.    ADMINISTRATIVE  PHASES 

Superintendent  WILLIAM  MCANDREW,  in  charge  of  Duplicate 
Schools,  has  made  the  following  suggestions  relative  to  the 
administrative  phases  of  the  assembly  period. 

The  March  In. — In  some  schools  the  procession  to  seats  in  the 
auditorium  is  an  inspiring  experience.  A  color-guard  leads  the 
way.  Spirited  march  music  supplies  the  processional.  Fine 
posture  and  carriage  are  enjoined.  Precision,  ceremony,  busi- 
ness-like promptness  and  despatch  characterize  the  gathering.  It 
impresses  visitors,  teachers  and  children  in  a  tonic  way. 

Flag  Salute. — The  color-guard,  marching  to  the  platform,  un- 
furls the  flag.  A  piano  signal  brings  the  audience  to  standing 
position.  The  salute  is  sung.  The  national  song  of  the  day, 
indicated  not  by  spoken  announcement,  but  by  the  musical  pre- 
lude, follows.  In  this  manner  the  program  is  begun  without 
interruption  and  without  unnecessary  speaking. 

Waits. — The  blight  of  some  assemblies  is  the  prevalence  of 
awkward  waits  at  the  beginning  and  between  parts  of  the  pro- 
gram. It  is  exceedingly  amateurish,  uncourteous  to  a  large  part 
of  the  juvenile  audience  and  destructive  of  the  invigorating  spirit 
without  which  an  assembly  is  dullness  incarnate.  Speed  up. 
Start  something.  Be  ready  and  full  of  resource.  A  minute's 
wait  by  480  children  amounts  to  a  whole  working  day.  Time  is 
money. 

Tense  Discipline. — The  sight  of  teachers,  like  guards  in  a  peni- 
tentiary, standing  with  folded  arms  and  sweeping  their  area  with 
search-light  eyes,  is  enough  to  make  one  dislike  to  enter  the 
assembly.  The  alert  intention  to  stop  all  expressions  of  mirth  is 
a  menace  to  the  success  of  an  assembly.  This  period  should 
afford  a  decided  relief  from  the  traditional  requirements  of  the 
classroom.  Forced  attention  is  worth  little  here.  If  the  children 
are  listless  it's  a  sign  the  program  is  a  failure  and  should  be 
changed. 

Reprimand  and  Correction. — The  spirit,  the  atmosphere  of  the 


96  Administrative  Phases 

assembly  is  so  valuable  that  any  reprimand  or  correction  for 
faults  committed  there  ought  to  be  done  outside.  Mother  does 
not  punish  John  in  the  presence  of  company.  The  same  regard 
for  the  enjoyment  of  the  company  assembled  in  the  auditorium 
should  obtain.  ,; 

Too  Much. — It  is  a  surprising  fact  that  the  assembly  program 
in  schools  just  going  upon  the  duplicate  plan  is  overcrowded.  The 
offerings  should  be  simple,  clear  and  only  in  such  quantities  as 
are  intellectually  digestible  by  the  audience. 

Pupil  Managers. — Those  schools  which  conduct  their  assem- 
blies through  the  medium  of  pupil  chairmen,  announcers,  etc., 
widely  extend  the  benefit  of  the  training.  The  notices,  exhorta- 
tions, announcements,  etc.,  which  schoolmasters  from  time  im- 
memorial have  felt  they  must  make  in  their  own  proper  persons, 
can  be  delivered  just  as  effectively  by  children;  sometimes  more 
effectively.  A  citizen  should  know  how  to  preside  at  a  meeting, 
how  to  put  a  motion,  how  to  introduce  a  speaker,  how  to  write 
and  read  and  dispose  of  the  minutes  of  a  meeting.  The  way  to 
learn  is  to  practice  it.  In  some  assemblies  a  new  pupil  chairman 
and  secretary  are  chosen  every  day.  This  means  in  the  course  of 
a  year  a  wide  distribution  of  valuable  training. 

The  Comforter. — In  one  school  there  is  in  each  assembly,  seated 
on  the  stage,  a  boy  or  girl,  who  serves  for  several  weeks  in  succes- 
sion. He  appears  to  have  nothing  to  do,  but  he  is  a  cool-headed, 
experienced  stager,  who  has  served  well  as  chairman  and  whose 
business  it  is  quietly  and  kindly  to  prompt  any  new  or  nervous 
participant  who  needs  help.  They  call  him  the  official  comforter. 

Audible  Speaking. — Frank  Damrosch  formulated  these  four 
rules  for  public  speaking.  They  are  worth  learning  by  teachers 
and  imparting  to  children : 

1.  Think  of  the  lips. 

2.  Emphasize  the  consonants. 

3.  Separate  the  syllables. 

4.  Watch  the  farthest  persons  in  the  room  and  interest  them. 

Reading. — No  person  before  an  audience  with  a  book  or  paper 
in  his  hand  shows  half  the  regard  for  his  hearers  as  is  the  case 


Administrative  Phases  97 

with  a  speaker  unencumbered  or  is  half  so  effective.  The  sooner 
we  realize  how  boresome  the  reading  of  a  composition  is,  the 
less  forlorn  school  life  will  be.  But  the  word  from  a  speaker 
looking  into  the  eyes  of  his  hearers  is  alive.  As  a  distinguished 
Irish  orator  once  said,  "Never  read  to  an  audience,  and  when 
you  do,  look  off  every  second." 

Distributing  Assembly  Work. — In  the  auditorium  there  is  a 
marked  tendency  to  feature  the  bright/ pupils.  They  show  off 
better.  It  is  easier  to  run  an  auditorium  depending  upon  the 
reliable  children.  The  exercise  thus  becomes  more  important 
than  the  result.  The  visitor  is  more  impressed,  but  the  training 
is  not  well  distributed.  It  is  an  easy  matter  for  the  manager  to 
have  a  set  of  name  cards  or  a  roll  book  and  thus  to  call  on 
individuals  and  to  check  off  participants  and  to  call  upon  the 
backward. 

Rehearsals. — Teachers  and  pupils  ought  not  to  be  burdened  by 
after-school  rehearsals.  Make  the  rehearsals  a  regular  class  exer- 
cise. In  order  to  do  this  the  cast  of  a  play  needs  to  be  made  up 
from  only  those  children  who  regularly  recite  together  every  day. 

Assembly  Fire  Drill. — On  the  first  day  of  every  term  and  at 
frequent  intervals  every  assembly  should  be  exercised  in  the 
essentials  of  orderly  and  rapid  exit  so  as  to  be  ready  in  case  of 
fire.  The  manager  instructs  the  assembly  as  to  lines  of  march, 
she  cautions  the  children  as  to  silence  and  obedience.  Most  of 
these  drills  need  go  no  farther  than  to  the  doors  of  the  assembly 
room  when  the  command  "halt"  is  given  and  the  children  return 
to  seats. 

Stretching. — Some  managers  wisely  give  to  all  the  children  in 
the  midst  of  an  assembly  exercise  a  short  modification  of  the 
setting  up  exercises  requiring  the  pupils  to  stand  in  their  regular 
places. 


VI.    APPENDICES 


Lantern  Slides  101 


1.    LANTERN   SLIDES  LOANED  THROUGH   THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK 

The  following,  taken  from  the  booklet  of  Regulations  of  the  Division 
of  Visual  Instruction  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
indicates  the  conditions  under  which  slides  are  loaned: 

I.    PERIOD  OF  LOAN 

"One  week  counting  from  the  time  the  shipment  reaches  the 
borrower,  but  not  including  the  time  required  for  return  ship- 
ment. Slides  should  be  returned  immediately  after  use." 

II.    TIME  REQUIRED  TO  FILL  AN  ORDER 
"One  week  to  ten  days." 

III.  HOW  TO  ORDER 

"Slides  should  be  ordered  by  the  Call  Number  as  indicated  in 
the  catalogs.  The  application  blank  has  a  space  for  one  hundred 
Call  Numbers.  Do  not  order  slides  by  sets  or  groups." 

IV.  COST 

"No  fee  for  the  use  of  slides  is  charged.  The  borrower  shall 
pay  the  cost  of  transportation  in  both  directions." 

V.    METHOD  OF  SHIPMENT 

"Each  borrower  should  indicate  in  the  application  how  a  ship- 
ment of  slides  is  to  be  sent.  If  it  is  desired  that  the  shipment  be 
sent  by  parcel  post,  the  required  postage  should  accompany  the 
application.  Whenever  postage  is  not  sent  in  advance,  shipment 
will  be  made  by  express,  'collect.'  Do  not  send  check  or  money 
order  to  cover  postage.  Stamps  can  only  be  accepted  for  this 
purpose." 

"Shipments  sent  by  parcel  post  can  be  insured  against  loss  and 
damage  for  a  small  fee  and  the  express  companies  have  shown  a 
readiness  to  pay  all  claims  for  breakage.  Hence  breakage  in 
transit  is  an  item  of  cost  that  may  be  disregarded." 

TABLE    OF    WEIGHTS    OF    SLIDES— PRESENT    EXPRESS    RATES 

Number  Weight  * 

30  4  Ibs.  $0.23 

50  8  26 

80-  90  15  .30 

110—120  20  .34 

170—180  30 

275—300  50  .55 

450—500  80  .76 

PARCEL  POST  RATES: 

For  more  than  4  ozs.  up  to  1  pound , 5c 

For  each  additional  pound  or  fraction  thereof....  Ic 
Limit  of  weight  of  package  50  pounds. 
PARCEL  POST  INSURANCE: 

If  slides  are  to  be  delivered  by  parcel  post,  include  suf- 
ficient  postage  to  cover  insurance. 


'Includes  weight  of  container,  etc. 


102  Lantern  Slides 


Rates 

Value  $25  or  less 5c 

Value  $25  to  $50    lOc 

Slides  should  be  reckoned  at  50c  each. 

VI.    PAYMENT  FOR  LOSS  AND  BREAKAGE 

"The  borrower  shall  replace  any  slides  lost  or  broken  while 
in  use  or  during  return  shipment.  This  may  be  done  through  the 
photographer  designated  by  the  Visual  Instruction  Division.  Loss 
will  be  reported  by  the  Division  as  soon  as  the  shipment  is 
returned.  Later  a  bill  will  be  sent  by  the  photographer  who  will 
give  a  receipt  for  each  payment  made.  Charges  are  as  follows : 

Plain   slides    20c 

Colored  slides   75c 

Coverglass — only    3c 

"The  breakage  on  return  shipments  is  somewhat  larger  than 
on  outgoing  shipments.  This,  undoubtedly,  is  due  to  the  failure 
of  some  borrowers  to  pack  the  slides  in  the  best  possible  manner. 
It  is  decidedly  advantageous  to  have  all  the  packing  and  unpacking 
for  a  given  institution  done  by  one  person." 

VII.    CONDITIONS 

"In  addition  to  the  above  conditions,  it  is  also  prescribed  that 
under  no  circumstaances  may  any  collection  or  admission  fee  be 
taken  in  connection  with  the  use  of  these  educational  aids.  Cata- 
logs and  lists  of  slides  available  have  been  published  and  may  be 
obtained  upon  application." 


2.    HOW  TO  BORROW  LANTERN  SLIDES  FROM  THE 
AMERICAN  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 

I.        "Applications  for  the  loan  of  slides  should  be  addressed  to  the 
Curator  of  Public  Education." 

II.        "Applications  for  slides  must  be  made  on  the  blanks  which  will 
be  supplied  by  the  Museum  on  request." 

III.  "Applications  must  be  filed  with  the  Curator  at  least  one  week 
before  delivery  is  desired." 

IV.  "Applications  will  be  accepted  from  individual  teachers,  but  the 
Museum  would  prefer  to  receive  them  through  principals." 

V.        "Not  more  than  100  slides  will  be  sent  to  one  teacher  on  one 
application." 

VI.  "The  Museum  will  deliver  the  slides  free  of  charge  to  the  prin- 
cipal's office  and  will  call  for  them  at  the  end  of  the  loan  period, 
but  as  its  messenger  service  is  very  limited  the  Museum  would 
appreciate  it  if  the  teachers,  whenever  possible,  will  call  for  and 
return  the  slides  themselves." 

VII.        "Slides  should  not  be  retained  for  more  than  one  week." 

VIII.  "The  slides  are  loaned  for  public  school  use  only.  The  borrower 
agrees  not  to  use  the  slides  on  any  occasion  at  which  a  charge  of 
admission  is  made  or  a  collection  of  any  kind  taken,  or  a  fee  paid 
to  the  lecturer." 


Lantern  Slides  103 

3.    HOW  TO  BORROW  LANTERN  SLIDES  FROM  THE 
METROPOLITAN  (MUSEUM  OF  ART 

I.        "Written  application  for  slides  should  be  received  by  the  Museum 

one  week  before  delivery  is  desired." 

II.        "Slides  will  be  in  readiness  at  the  Museum  five  days  from  date  of 
receipt  of  application." 

III.  ."Whenever  circumstances  permit,  the  borrower  is  advised  to  visit 
the  Museum  and  personally  select  the  slides  from  the  files." 

IV.  "No  fee  is  charged  for  lantern  slides  used  by  New  York  Public 
school  teachers." 

V.    "The  borrower  pays  for  loss  or  breakage  which  may  occur  after  the 
slides  leave  the  Museum  and  also  for  express  charges." 


4.    LIST    OF    MANUFACTURERS    HAVING    MOTION    PICTURE 
FILMS  OF  EDUCATIONAL  VALUE 
Compiled  by  Henry  Disston  &  Son,  Inc., 

P.  O.  Box  1537,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Crucible  Steel,  Saws  and  Files— Henry  Disston  &  Sons,  Tacony,  Pa. 
Lumber  Industry  — Lamb-Fish  Lumber  Co.,  Charleston,  Miss. 

—Long-Bell  Lumber  Co.,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

Machinists'  Tools  — L.  S.  Starrett  &  Co.,  Athol,  Mass. 

Augur  Bits  -^Russell-Jennings     Mfg.     Co.,      Chester, 

Conn. 
"Billiards  and  Bowling"  —The  Brunswick-Balke  Collender  Co.,  29 

W.  32d  St.,  New  York  City. 

Horse  Shoe  Industry  — Phoenix  Horse  Shoe  Co.,  Chicago,  111. 

"Fancy    Shooting   with    Pistol,— Winchester    Repeating   Arms    Co.,    New 

Rifle  and  Shotgun."  Haven,  Conn. 

"Trinidad   Asphalt"  —Barber  Asphalt  Co.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Felt  Hats  —The  John  B.   Stetson   Co.,   Philadelphia, 

"Walkover   Shoes"  —Walkover  Shoe  Co. 

—Great  Northern  Railway,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

.—United    Shoe    Machinery    Co.,    Publicity 

Dept,  Albany  'Bldg.,  Boston,  Mass. 
"Jim's    Vocation"  — Industrial  School  at  Beverly,  Mass.,  and 

United  Shoe  Machinery  Co.'s  Plant. 

"An  American  in  the  Making" — United     States     Steel     Co.,     Bureau    of 

Safety,  71  Broadway,  New  York  City. 

.—American  Steel  &  Wire  Co.,  30  Church 

St.,  New  York  City. 
"Open  Hearth  Steel"  —National  Tube  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

— General  Electric  Co.,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 
"Spinners  of  Speech"  — American  Telephone  &  Telegraph  Co.,  14 

Dey  St.,  New  York  City. 

"From   Lead    Mines    to    Paint— National  Lead  Co.,  Ill  Broadway,  New 
Pot"  York  City. 

.—National     Cash     Register     Co.,     Dayton, 

Ohio. 
"All    Steel    Furniture   and   Its— General   Fireproofing    Co.,    Youngstown, 

Use"  Ohio. 

"Producing  The  Ladies'  Home— Curtis   Publishing  Co.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Journal  and  Saturday  Even- 
ing Post" 


104  Lantern  Slides 

The   Paper   Industry  — Peabody,  Houghteling  &  Co.,  Chicago,  111. 

"Making  of   Typewriter"          —Remington   Typewriter    Co.,   327   Broad- 
way, New  York  City. 

Coal  Tar  Products  t  —Barrett  Mfg.  Co.,  New  York  City. 

The      Gypsum      Industry      in— United  States  Gypsum  Co.,  Chicago,  111. 
America 

Silks    and    Satins— "Life    His — Wm.  B.  Skinner's  Sons,  Holyoke,  Mass, 
tory  of  Silk  Worm,  etc." 

"The  Beauties  of  Yellowstone— Northern  Pacific  Railway,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
National  Park  and  Industrial 
Opportunities  of  the  North- 
west" 

— American  Museum  of  Safety,  New  York 

City. 

"Perfumes,  etc."  —Ed.  Pinaud,  New  York  City. 

"Farming  with  Dynamite"        — E.  I.  DuPont  De  Nemours  Powder  Co., 

Wilmington,  Del. 

"Coal     Mining     in     Southern— Peabody  Coal  Co.,  Chicago,  111. 
Illinois" 

"Fixation       of       Atmospheric — American  Cyananid  Co.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Nitrogen" 

"Why  the   Fish   Failed,   Illus— German  Kali  Works,  Chicago,  111. 
trating  why  potash  is  neces- 
sary to  soil" 

"Road  Making"  —Universal  Portland  Cement  Co.,  Chicago, 

— Lehigh  Portland  Cement  Co.,  Allentown, 

Pa. 
"Heavy  Agriculture  Machinery— Holt  Mfg.  Co.,  Stockton,  Cal. 

in  Action" 
"Heavy  Agriculture  Machinery — International  Harvester  Co.,  Chicago,  111. 

in  Action" 
"Liquid  Bread — Showing  How — United     States    Brewers'    Assn.,    Union 

Beer  Is  Made"  Square,  New  York  City. 

Oil  Industry  in  Canada  — Imperial      Oil      Co.,      Sarnia,      Ontario, 

Canada. 

— American  Tobacco  Co.,  New  York  City. 

"Ideal  Fountain   Pens"  — L.  E.  Waterman  &  Co.,  New  York  City. 

"Showing  Precautionary  Meth — Underwriter's  Laboratories,  Chicago,  111. 
ods  Used" 

— Belding    Brothers     Co.,    902    Broadway, 

New  York  City. 

— Union   Pacific  Railway,  Chicago,  111. 
— Grand    Trunk   Pacific,   Montreal,   P.    Q., 

Canada. 

— Ford  Motor  Car  Co.,  Detroit,  Mich. 
—Packard   Motor   Car  Co.,  Detroit,  Mich. 
"The   Clothing   Industry   from— Mayer  Bros.,  Chicago,  111. 

Sheep  to  Wearer" 

"Pea    Canning    in    Wisconsin" — Sprague    Canning    Machinery    Co.,    Chi- 
cago, 111. 
"Cocoa    and    Chocolate    from — Hershey  Chocolate  Co.,  Hershey,  Pa. 

Bean  to  Cup" 
"Making    of    Pure    Foods    in— Postum  Cereal  Co.,  Battle  Creek,  Mich. 

Battle  Creek" 

"Making     Flour     and     Other — Hecker,  Jones,  Jewel   Milling  Co.,   New 
Farinaceous    Products"  York  City. 


Outside  Speakers  105 

"Making  of  Heinz   Pure  Food— H.  J.  Heinz  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Products" 
"Preparation    and    Packing   of — Beech-Nut     Packing     Co.,     Canajoharie, 

Choice  Food  Products"  N.  Y. 

— American  Sugar  Refining  Co.,  New  York. 
"Soaps,  Perfumes,  etc."  — Larkih   Co.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

"Producers  of  Educational  and— Dyer  Film  Co.,  Fifth  Avenue  Bldg.,  New 

Industrial    Films"  York   City. 

"Abrasives"  — Carborumdum  Co.,  Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y. 

"Open  Hearth  Steel"  — Commonwealth    Steel    Co.,    Ganite    City, 

111. 

"From    Mine   to    Moulder"       — Rodgers-Brown   Co.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
"Solvay    Process   Coke"  — Pickands-Brown  Co.,  Chicago,  111. 

"Pharmaceutical    Chemists"       — H.  K.  Mulford  Co.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

— Murphy  Varnish  Co.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

"Chi-Namel"  —Ohio  Varnish  Co.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

"Making  Women's  Outer  Gar — The    Printzess    Garment    Co.,    Cleveland, 

ments"  Ohio. 

"Penmanship"  —The  A.  N.  Palmer  Co.,  New  York  and 

Chicago. 
"Sanitary  and  Scientific  Dairy— Borden  Milk  Co.,  address  Dr.  W.  E.  J. 

ing"  Kirk,  108  Hudson  St.,  New  York  City. 

"What  Is  Behind  the  Electric— Westinghouse   Electric   Co.,    165    Broad- 
Button"  way,  New  York  City. 
"The  Workman's  Lesson— The— National    Assn.   of   Manufacturers    (Mr. 

Crime  of   Carelessness— The        Keough),   30   Church    St.,    New    York 

Man  He  Might  Have  Been"        City. 

"Tannage     of     Sole     Leather"— Endicott,  Johnson  &  Co.,  Endicott,  N.  Y. 
"Selling   Electric  Vehicles"       —Edison    Storage    Battery    Co.    (Mr.   An- 
drews), Orange,  N.  J. 
The  above  list  was  contributed  by  Public  School  64,  Manhattan. 


5.    NAMES  OF  OUTSIDERS  WHO  HAVE  SPOKEN  IN  THE 
AUDITORIUM  OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  42,  THE  BRONX 

Miss  Fein  Piano  Player  from  Metropolitan  Opera 

House. 

Senator    Hamilton  Questions  in  Civics. 

Assemblyman   Fertig  How  Laws  Are  Made. 

Dr.  Ogan  Dept.  of  Health — Personal  Cleanliness. 

Dr.  Ogan  Dept.  of  Health — Trip  through  the  Adiron- 

dacks. 

Dr.  Teiser  Dept.  of  Health— The  Menace  of  Flies. 

Dr.  Teiser  Patent  Medicines. 

Mrs.  Vaughn  Museum  of  Art — Ancient  Architecture. 

Dr.  Feltman  Dentist — Oral  Hygiene. 

Dr.  Ditmars  N.  Y.  Zoo— Snakes  and  Their  Habits. 

John  E.  McGeehan  Dept.  Water,  Gas  and  Electricity— CStyt 

Water  Supply. 

Mrs.  Mary  E.  Sage  Audubon  Society — Birds  and  Their  Varie- 

ties. 

Dr.  C.  Fisher  Museum  of  Natural  History— Textiles. 

Miss  Greenleaf  School   Art   League — Armor. 

Miss  Greenleaf  School  Art  League — How  Paintings  Are 

Made. 


106 


Special  Days 


Miss  Greenleaf 
Sargeant  Darrell 


School   Art   League — Sculpture. 
N.  Y.  Police  Dept— City  Laws. 


Miss   Florence   M.   Marshall    Prin.   Man.  Trade  School — Advantages  of 


Miss  Skinner 
Senator  Hamilton 
Dr.  Fertig 


a  Trade  School. 
Supervisor  of  Sewing — "Textiles." 
The  Electoral  College. 
Dept.    of     Health — Care    of    the    Human 

Body. 


6.    CALENDAR  OF  SPECIAL  DAYS   AND  ANNIVERSARIES 
CUSTOMARILY  OR  OCCASIONALLY  OBSERVED 


January 


February 


March 
it 


April 
« 


May 


1 — New  Year's  Day. 

6— Twelfth  Night. 

11 — Alexander    Hamilton's   Birthday. 
17 — Benjamin  Franklin,  born  1706. 
18— Daniel  Webster,  born  1782. 
19— Robert  E.  Lee,  born  1807. 

Edgar  Allen  Poe,  born  1809. 
25— Robert  Burns,  born  1759. 
29— William  McKinley,  born  1843. 

7— Charles  Dickens,  born  1812 

8— John  Ruskin,  born  1819. 
10— Charles  Lamb,  born  1775. 
12— Abraham  Lincoln,  born  1809. 
14 — St.  Valentine's  Day. 
15 — Battleship  Maine  blown  up,  1898. 
22— Washington's   Birthday,  born   1732. 

James  Russell  Lowell,  born  1819. 
27— Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow,  born  1807. 

4 — Inauguration  Day. 

5— Boston  Massacre,  1770. 
15 — Andrew  Jackson,  born  1767. 
17— St.  Patrick's  Day. 
18— Grover  Cleveland,  born  1837. 
—Bird  Day   (2d  Friday). 

3 — Washington    Irving,   born    1783. 

7— William  Wadsworth,  born   1770. 
12— Fort  Sumter  fired  on,  1861. 

Henry  Clay,  born  1777. 
13 — Thomas  Jefferson,  born  1743. 
19— Patriot's  Day. 

Battle  of  Lexington. 
23 — Shakespeare,  born  1564. 
27— General  U.  S.  Grant,  born  1822. 
— May  Day. 

— Arbor  Day  (1st  Friday). 
—Mothers'  Day   (2d  Sunday). 

l^Dewey  destroyed  the  Spanish  fleet  at  Manila,  1898. 
13 — Society  of  The   Cincinnati,   organized  by  officers   of   the 

'Revolutionary  Army,  1783. 
18— Peace  Day. 

25— Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  born  1803. 
30 — Memorial  Day. 


Program  Sequence  107 

June  — Anniversary  Day   (1st  Thursday  in  June  in  Brooklyn). 

14— Flag  Day  in  the  United  States. 
Harriet  Beecher  Stowe. 

17— Bunker  Hill  Day   (Mass.) 

July  3 — Cervera's  fleet  destroyed  off  Santiago,  1898. 

4 — Independence  Day. 

15— Stony  Point  Day. 

16 — Santiago  surrendered,  1898. 
August          7 — General  Nathaniel  Greene,  born  1742. 

13 — Manila  surrendered  to  Americans,  1898. 

24— Battle  of  Long  Island,  1776. 

September      — Labor  Day  (1st  Monday  in  September). 
2 — Eugene  Field. 

10— Lake  Erie  Day. 

11 — Lake  Champlain  Day. 

14— City  of  Mexico  taken  by  United  States  troops,  1847. 
— Anniversary  of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner. 

15 — James  Fenimore  Cooper,  born  1789. 

24— John  Paul  Jones  Day. 

October         7— James  Whitcomb  Riley's  Birthday. 
9 — National  Fire  Prevention  Day. 

12 — Columbus  Day. 

17— Battle  of  Saratoga. 

19 — Surrender  of  Yorktown. 

27— Theodore  Roosevelt,  born   1858. 

31— Hallowe'en. 

November      — Election  Day  (1st  Tuesday  after  1st  Monday). 
— Thanksgiving. 
3— William  Cullen  Bryant,  born   1794. 

10 — Oliver  Goldsmith,  born   1728. 

13— Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  born  1850. 

22— "George  Eliot,"  born  1819. 

25— British  evacuated  New  York,  1783. 
December     9— John  Milton,  born  1608. 

14— Washington  died,  1799. 

17— John  Greenleaf  Whittier,  born   1807. 

25— Christmas. 

28— Woodrow  Wilson,  born  1856. 


7.    PROGRAM     SEQUENCE— ASSEMBLY    EXERCISES,     PUBLIC 
SCHOOL  64,  MANHATTAN 

I.  Salute  to  the  flag. 

II.  Reading  of  Bible. 

III.  Music  practice. 

IV.  Morning  inspection. 
V.  Recess   (3  minutes). 

VI.  Physical  training. 

VII.  Assembly  contribution. 

VIII.  Announcements. 

IX.  Victrpla  selections. 

X.  Dismissal. 

(When  moving  pictures  are  displayed  the  above  order  is  not  followed.) 


INDEX 


Activity,  in  assembly  exercises — forms  of „ n 

Activity   of   special    groups ;. 30-73 

Administrative    phases „ 95 

Aesthetic  sense — nature  study  as  an  aid  in  developing _ 81 

pictures   an   aid  in   developing 28 

Aims   of  assembly  e  x  e  rci  ses _„. 5 

American  history — slides   on 13 

American  literature — slides    on 13 

American  Museum    of   Natural    History — slides    from „ „ 17 

American  Society  for  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals — slides  from 21 

Analytic   study   of   pictures _ 28 

Ancient   history — slides    on „ „_. 15-20 

Animal  life — slides  on _ „ „„ 19 

Animal    protection — lectures    on „„ „„ „ 21 

slides  on „ „....  2 1 

Anniversaries,    calendar   of „ 106 

Appreciation — lesson  for _ „ „ 29 

of    music 34-35 

of    pictures „ 28 

Arbor  Day — exercises  on _...„ 82 

Arnold  on  chief  use  of  assembly „ 6 

Art — aims    of...._ „ _ 28 

classical,   far  eastern,   near   Oriental,   western — slides   on 20 

exercises   on „ 8.3 

League,  The   School „ 31 

lectures    on 20 

Museum   of — slides  from 19 

Arts,    the   fine — slides   on 1 8 

Arts  and  crafts  clubs — exercises  by 

Assembly    exercises — types    of ~ 69 

Attention,  games  of ~ „.. 67 

Attitudes  9 

Audible    speaking „ 96 

Auditorium  question  box 


Bible  reading — list  of  selections   for _ 

Bibliography  for  declamations — recitations,   etc 40 

on  folk  dances ~ 

sources  for  material  for  festivals,  etc 57 

for  story- telling 

Biographies  of  composers :. 

Biology — slides    on _ ,. 

Bird  day — exercises  on * 73-82 

Bureau  of  Commercial  Economics — films  from 24 


Calendar  of  special  days  for  assembly  observance ....... 106 

Canadian  Pacific  Railway  films 26 

from    23 

Catalogs   of   slides 

Centers   for  organizing  subject  matter „ ~ ~ 70 

Children  as  lecturers „ _ _ 30 

Choral   singing „ 

Choral  societies  in  school „ 

Chubb   on  the  importance  of  recreations 8-55 

City  government — exercises  on „ 

Civic   life   of  the   community — exercises    on 

Class  day , „ 

Clean-up  week — exercises   on 79 

"Clothed,  how  we  are" — exercises  on 

Comforter,    the 96 

Commercial  Economics,   Bureau  of — films  from 24 


PAGE 

Commercial  films „... ~ 24-25-103 

Commercial  subjects — slides  on - 

Community  life  outside  the  school — exercises  on 75 

Conservation  Commission  of  the  State  of  New  York — films  from 

Conservation — films    on 25-26 

Contests — types   of,    for   assembly ~  66-67 

Contributions  in  music  to  assembly  exercises. 

Co-operation  with  public  institutions „ 

Correlation  through  assembly  exercises 27-69-70 

Correlation  of  subjects  through  the  festival 56 

D 

Dances — bibliography  ...._ 64 

values   63 

Dancing  in  the  assembly 63 

in    the    festival ~ 63 

Debates — references,     etc ~ 66 

values   of „ :. 65 

Declamations — aims  and  values 39 

bibliography    on 40-41-42 

material    for 40 

Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad — slides „ 23 

Dewey  on  "Need  of  Education  for  Recreation" 8 

Discipline,  tense „ „ _  95 

Distributing   assembly   work 97 

Dramatization — aims   and  values „  49 

choice  of  subject-matter 5 0 

in    intermediate   grades „ „.  53 

in    lower    grades „..  52 

in  upper  grades  53 

lists    of l..Il.....l™ZI.H  57-62 

E 

English   literature — slides   on 

Entertainments — school  37-73 

Esprit  de   corps 6 

Economic  value  of  nature  study 

Ethical   value   of  nature   study 

Experiences    of    pupils 

Expression    28-30-39-49-63 


Fairy  stories 

Festival,  moral  influence  of  the »j> 

recreative  value  of  the ° « 

sources  of  material,  etc °  < 

Festivals — aims    and    values 

choice  of  subjects 

Field    day 00  JJ 

Films — how  to  borrow  or  get or     AO 

of  educational  value  loaned  by  manufacturers 25-10 

industrial — see    also   geography 24-103 

selection    of 

supply    concerns 

types  of 24 

Fine  arts — slides   on • 

Fire  Department — films  illustrative  of  the  activities  of  the 25 

slides  illustrative  of  the  activities  of  the 

Fire    drills 97 

Fire    prevention — films    on 25 

lectures  and   lecturers  en 

slides   on 

Firms,    commercial    photographic — slides    from 

First   Aid,    slid es   on 2 1 

Flag    day 89 

Flag  salute,  the 

Flexibility  in  organization  of  subject  matter „ 69 

Folk  dances 63 

"Food,  how  we  get  our" — exercises  on 75 

Food    Supply,   our — Slides  on 20-21 

Forestry — films  on 

Forum,    the   school 68 

Freedom  in  choice  of  subject-matter 69 


PAGE 

Fresh  air  week — exercises  on 7 9 

Functions  of  school    activities 5 

G 

Games  for  assembly  period 67 

Geographical     films 24-25 

Geographical   subjects — slides  on — 

Glee   clubs — exercises   by 34-74 

Government,  city — exercises  on  suggested  topics 

national — exercises   on — suggested   topics 95 

Graduation  day 

Group  activities 73 

H 

Health,  department  of — films  from 2 0 

slides   from 

public — slides  on 20-21 

subjects  lectures  on _ 20-21 

Health  Service,   U.   S.   Public— slides 21 

Historical    story 

History,   American — slides   on „ _ 13-18 

ancient — slides  on ~. _ - 15 

Colonial — slides  on 18 

national — exercises   on — suggested    topics „ 

History   of  New  York — exercises  on — suggested   topics 80 

Hudson  River  Day  Line — films  from _ 26 

Humane  Education,  Department  of ~ 

Humane   education — slides   on „ „ 21 

Hygiene — slides    on „ „ „ 19-20-21 

I 

Ideals „ 6-7 

Impression  „ 29 

Industrial   concerns — films  loaned   by 2 5-103-104-105 

films — see  also  geography 25 

life  of  the  nation — exercises   on 89 

subjects — slides  on — see  also  geography „ 16-18 

Industries   and   occupations — exercises   on 7 5 

Inspirational  functions _ 6 

Instruction,    direct,   in  assembly _„. „ „ 2 9 

Institutional  and  civic  life — exercises  on „ 77 

Instructional  functions „ — 9 

Instrumental  music 34 

classes   in 34 

Interpretive  functions 9 

Introduction    „ .. „  4 


Labor  Day — exercises  on 

Lantern   slides — sources   for 12-23 

Lectures — accompanying  slides,  pictures _ 

Lectures  by  children -..  30 

list  of  available _ 31-105 

by  outside  speakers 

by  teachers  in  charge  of  assejnbly 

by  teachers  of  special  activities 30 

special  sets  of  slides _ 1 9 

from  Museum  of  Art _ 

from   Board   of  Health „ _ 3 1 

from   Museum  of  Natural  History 

from  Public  Service  Corporation „ 

from   School  Art  League 3 1 

Life  of  the  school  as  a  social  community — exercises  on 70 

Life  of  the  community  outside  the  school — exercises  on 75 

Life  of  the  nation — exercises  on 86 

Listening    lessons 36 

Literary  societies — exercises   by „ 74 

Literature — exercises  on 74 

slides  on 13 

M 

Managers,    pupil 96 

Manufacturers  lending  films — list  of 

Manufactures — films    on - 24-25-103 


PAGE 

March-in,    the _ 95 

Means  and  methods — Chapter  III 1 1 

Method   in  story-telling „ 45 

Methods  of  teaching  music ._ 35 

of  using  slides  and  films - 26-27 

Mimetic  drills — list  of _ 65 

Motion  pictures — use  of » ~ 23 

Museum  of  Natural  History — slides  from 17 

of  Art — slides  from 1 9 

Music,  aims  and  values  of  assembly 32 

appreciation  of „ 34-35 

artists'   recitals „ 36 

bulletins 37 

children's    recitals 37 

emphasis  on  technique 35 

history  of 36 

instrumental 34 

means  and  methods  in 3  3 

participation  in — value  of- .". 33 

programs   for   recitals _ „ 36 

recitals 36 

references    „ „ 37 

suggested  topics  or  exercises  on 83-85 

type  programs _ 84 

use  of  phonographs „ 36 

Musical   entertainments _ 74 

N 

Nation,  the  life  of  the — exercises  on 86 

National   Geographic   Society — slides    from 2 3 

National  government — exercises  on 94 

National  song  program „ 84-86 

Natural  history — lectures  on 19 

Museum  of — slides  from 1 7 

slides   on 17 

Natural    sciences — slides    on 18 

Nature  story,   the 43 

Nature  study — suggested  topics  for  assembly  exercises 82 

values    of _ 81 

Nature — the  world  of — exercises  on_._ 8 1 

Neglect   of   recreative    functions 8 

New  York  Central  Lines — slides  from 22 

New  York  City — history  of — exercises  on 80 

its  industries  and   occupations — exercises   rn 76 

Nonsense  tales _ 43 

Northern  Pacific  Railway — slides  from _ 23 

O 

Objective   teaching 26 

Occupations — exercises    on 

Oral   hygiene — slides   on _ _ 19-21 

Oral  readings — aims  and  values _ _ - 3 9 

materials  for 40-^1-4° 

Orchestras,   school — in   the   assembly _ „ 34-74 

Organi zati on    of    subject-matter 6  9 

Outsiders  speaking  in  school  assemblies 31-105 

P 

Pageants    and    festivals — lists    of 57-58-59-60-61-62 

Pageant,   the — values   of 

Participation  in  music 

Pedagogy  of  pictures,  the 

Phonographic   material — selection   of..._ 

Phonograph — use    of 

Physical   geography — slides   on 17 

Physical  training  in  the  assembly 

Physiography — slides  on 

Physiology — slides  on 

Picture  material — selection  of 

Pictures — value   of    as   aids   to   instruction 26-27 

Planning  of  purposes 

Plays — aims  and  values 49 

Play s— lists    of 57-5 8-59-60-61-62 

selection    of 

Police   department — films  illustrating  activities  of  the „ 25 


PAGE 

Program   sequence _ 107 

Public  Health  Education,  Bureau  of — ~ 20 

lectures  and   lecturers  on „ „ 20 

slides    on 20-21 

Public  institutions — exercises  on _ _ 80 

Public  safety — slides  on 

Public  Service  Corporation — lecturers  from 

exercises   on 

Pupils  as  lecturers — value 30 

Pupil  managers „ 96 

Pupil    self-government _ 71 

Q 

Question  box,  the „ 68 

Quiz,     the .'„...'. .'1™.ZZZZ."'ZZZ"ZZZZ          32 

R 

Railroad  companies — films  from 

slides   from 

Reading 

Readings,    etc — bibliography 

Recitals,    artists' 

children's    

Recitations — aims  and  values 

bibliography    

materials  for _ „ 

Recreative    functions 

Rehearsals _ „ „. 

Reprimand  and  correction 

Revolution,    American — slides    on 

Rules  for  borrowing  slides 

S 

Safety  first — exercises  on 

Safety,- public — slides  on 

Selections  from   the  Bible   for   reading 

Selection  of  films  and  slides 

Scenery — slides  illustrating — 

School  Audubon  Society - - - 

bank,  the — exercises  on - 

entertainments  , - — 

forum,  the. - ~ 

glee  clubs — exercises  by  the - .. ~ ~ - 

orchestras — exercises  by  the _ - - — 

paper,  the — exercises  on _ ~ 

the — a  social  group 70 

spirit .-          70 

state,    the „ 

Science  club   and   classes — exercises   by 

Sciences,  natural — slides  on 

Second    edition 

Setting  up  exercises. 

Sheltered,  how  we  are — exercises  on 

Significant  days  in  the  life  of  the  school. 

Singing,    choral _„ 

by    special    groups 

Slides — how  to  borrow 

lists    of _ 

selection    of 

use    of. 

Songs — choice  of „ „ 

Sources  of  dramatization,   plays,    etc 

for    slides- 
Speaking,   audible... 

Special    days- 


calendar    of.. 


Special  school  activities — assembly  exercises  on 

Stereopticon  slides — sources  for 

Stories — sources — lists,  etc 

Story-telling — aims  and  values 

bibliography    

dangers    and    difficulties 

selection  of  material 

suggestions  as  to  methods 


PAGE 

Stories,  types  of — for  certain  grades _ „ 44 

Stretching _._ _.„ _. 97 

Subjects  on  which  films  are  available 24 


Table  of  contents „ „ „ „ „ „ 1-2 

Talent  among  teachers  and  pupils 7-9 

Tastes — instilling    _ 7 

Teachers,  assembly — as  lecturers „ „ _ 30 

of  special  subjects  as  lecturers ~ _ ~ 30 

should  see  projected  pictures  before  exihibition  to  pupils 26 

Technique — as  a  factor  in  appreciation 29-35 

Thrift  Day  program „ „ „ 72 

"Too  much" „ _ 96 

Travel — slides  on .'.." 1.1ZIIZZZZIIIIIIIIZZIIIIZIIZIIII3-2 0-22-23 

Types  of  activity  employed   in  assembly  exercises 11 

of  assembly  exercises 69 

U 

Union  Pacific  Railroad — films  from 26 

slides   from „ 22 

United  States   Public  Health  Service— slides  from 21 

Use  of  pictures „ 26 


Visual  aids — need  for.., _ 11 

value   of _  11 

Visual  instruction _. _ _ 11 

Division  of — conditions  under  which  slides  are 

loaned  by „ 101 

catalogs  of  slides  from 101 

Vocational  guidance  through  assembly  exercises 77 

Vocational   subjects — films   on „ „ „. 24-25 

Volunteer  work  in  music _ „  34-37 

W 

Waits 95 

Work  of  regular  classes — exercises  on „  74 

7* 

Zoological  Park — slides  from _  20 


DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION— THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK 
DIVISION  OF  REFERENCE  AND   RESEARCH 

Publications 

Teachers'    Year    Book    of    Educational     Investigations — By     Isidor 
Springer,  Ph.  D.— Bulletin  No.  1—1914. 

Material  for  Arithmetical  Problems— Bulletin  No.  2—1914. 

The  School  Lunch  Service— By  Edward  F.  Brown,  Executive  Secre- 
tary, New  York  School  Lunch  Committee — Bulletin  No.  3 — 1914. 

Examining,    Selecting    and    Training    Teachers — Document    No.    5, 
Board  of  Education — 1914.     (Edition  exhausted.) 

Semi-Annual   Report   of  the   Division  of   Reference   and   Research — 
July,  1914 — Publication  No.  5.     (Edition  exhausted.) 

Teachers'    Year    Book    of    Educational    Investigations— By     Isidor 
Springer,  Ph.  D.— Publication  No.  6—1915. 

Assignment  of  Assistants  to   Principals   and   Clerks   in   Elementary 
Schools— Publication  No.   7—1915. 

Assignment  of  First  Assistants  in  High  Schools — Publication  No.  8 — • 
1915. 

Organization  of  Classes  in  Elementary  Schools — Publication  No.  9 — 
1915. 

Report   on   the    Organization   of   the   Board   of   Education   and    Its 
Committees — Publication  No.  10 — 1915.     (Edition  exhausted.) 

The  School  and  the  Immigrant — Publication  No.  11 — 1915. 

Semi-Annual  Report  of  the   Division  of  Reference  and   Research- 
July,  1915 — Publication  No.  12.     (Edition  exhausted.) 

Teaching  Elementary  Science  in  Elementary  Schools — By  J.  Edward 
Mayman,  Ph.  D. — Publication  No.  13 — 1916. 

Teachers'    Year    Book    of    Educational     Investigations — By     Isidor 
Springer,  Ph.  D.— Publication  No.  14 — 1916. 


Gaylamount 
Pamphlet 

Binder 
Gay  lord  Bros.,  Inc. 

Stockton,  Calif. 
T.M.  Reg.  U.S.  Pat.  Off. 


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